Transcription Factor T (TFT)

T protein is vital for the formation and differentiation of posterior mesoderm and for axial development in all vertebrates.'Brachyury' mutant mice lack T protein and die in utero with abnormal notochord, absent somites, and reduced allantois. In zebrafish the 'no tail' mutation (ntl) is the homolog of 'Brachyury.'

The T gene encodes a transcription factor that binds to a specific DNA element via its N-terminal region.The deduced 435-amino acid human polypeptide shares an overall 91% amino acid identity with mouse T proteins and complete identity across 77 amino acids of the T-box motif within the DNA-binding domain. The authors found that human T expression is very similar to that found for T in other vertebrate species and is confined to cells derived from the notochord.