Teashirt Zinc Finger Homeobox Protein 3 (TSHZ3)

Teashirt-3, a novel regulator of muscle differentiation, associates with BRG1-associated factor 57 (BAF57) to inhibit myogenin gene expression. Drosophila teashirt (tsh) is involved in the patterning of the trunk identity together with the Hox genes. All three mouse Tshz genes can rescue the Drosophila tsh loss-of-function phenotype, indicating that the function of the teashirt genes has been conserved during evolution. Chick TSHZ3 is expressed in several tissues including mesodermal derivatives, the central and peripheral nervous systems. Emphasis is laid on the dynamic expression occurring in regions of the somites and limbs where tendons develop. TSHZ3 is activated in the somites by FGF8, a known inducer of the tendon marker SCX.