Expression of a constituted complete pb cDNA is driven by an Hsp70 promoter.
Flies carrying pbhs.PBe and subjected to repeated heat shocks during larval and pupal development show transformation of the distal-most leg structures to antennal arista.
Multiple heat shocks during larval second and third instar periods causes a marked eye reduction ventrally. Many interommatidial bristles are duplicated and ommatidial form is often changed from hexagonal to tetragonal.