T protein is vital for the formation and differentiation of posterior mesoderm and for axial development in all vertebrates.
The T gene encodes a transcription factor that binds to a specific DNA element via its N-terminal region.
A protein motif within the DNA-binding domain, the so-called T box, is highly conserved among T homologs from different species and also defines a broader family of T-box genes (TBXs).
Animal models
’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.’ Ntl embryos die after hatching, lack notochords and tails, and possess abnormal trunk somites.
Pathology
variants in susceptibility to neural tube defects (NTDs)
References
Oakley GJ, Fuhrer K, Seethala RR. Brachyury, SOX-9, and podoplanin, new markers in the skull base chordoma vs chondrosarcoma differential: a tissue microarray-based comparative analysis. Mod Pathol. 2008 Sep 26. PMID: 18820665