BrlA, abaA and wetA are pivotal regulators of conidiophore development and conidium maturation (PubMed:2655931, PubMed:2196567). They act individually and together to regulate their own expression and that of numerous other sporulation-specific gene (PubMed:2655931, PubMed:2823119). Controls temporal and spatial specificity in Aspergillus development (PubMed:2655931, PubMed:7704830). Directs the differentiation of phialides and is continuously required for maintenance of their function (PubMed:2152124). Expression of abaA leads to activation of brlA and wetA, cessation of vegetative growth, and accentuated cellular vacuolization (PubMed:2655931). Binds to the sequence 5'-CATTCY-3', where Y is a pyrimidine, making both major- and minor-groove contacts (PubMed:8139553). Multiple abaA binding sites are present in the cis-acting regulatory regions of several developmentally controlled structural genes as well as those of the upstream regulatory gene brlA, the downstream regulatory gene wetA, and abaA itself (PubMed:8139553). localizes to the nuclei of phialides and terminal cells of mature conidia (By similarity). Expression is induced during conidiation, after conidiophore vesicles, metullae, and phialides had formed (PubMed:2823119). Negatively regulated by velC (PubMed:24587098). In the promoter, a 45-base-pair region encompassing the major and minor abaA transcription initiation sites contains directly repeated sequences related to the mammalian initiator (Inr) element and is sufficient for correct transcription initiation and for developmental induction (PubMed:2117702). Prevents the formation of normal conidiophores (PubMed:2823119, PubMed:2152124). Fails to form any viable conidia, even though it does produce morphologically normal phialides(PubMed:2655931). Belongs to the TEC1 family.