Has antimicrobial activity in synergy with other peptides. Strongest activity observed against E.cloacae. Hemolymph (at protein level). By bacterial infection (at protein level) (PubMed:9736738). Detected within 24 hours of bacterial infection (PubMed:11118328). Not induced by bacterial challenge in imd mutant flies. Level of induction reduced by over 90% in 18w mutant flies. Toll loss-of-function mutation has no effect on induction by a mixture of E.coli and M.luteus; but strongly reduces induction by E.cloacae. Belongs to the attacin/sarcotoxin-2 family. The Berkeley strain used in the genome project has an 8 bp deletion relative to the Canton-S strain, which disrupts the open reading frame. The Berkeley strain may carry a null allele of the AttC gene.