Strongly semi-lethal in homozygous males, weakly semi-lethal in homozygous females. Homozygous females are sterile and do not produce any eggs. Homozygous males have a spread-wing phenotype, and strongly reduced fertility. Dominant suppressor of position effect variegation at the w locus caused by In(1)wm4h.
The effect of loss of one copy of Su(var)3-33 can be rescued by P element mediated transformation of Su(var)3-7.
Isolated as a suppressor of position effect variegation at the w locus in flies carrying In(1)wm4h, and a dominant enhancer of position effect variegation, E(var)c1011.