The T protein encoded by Brachyury is a tissue-specific transcription factor

EMBO J. 1995 Oct 2;14(19):4763-72. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1995.tb00158.x.

Abstract

The mouse Brachyury (T) gene is required for differentiation of the notochord and formation of mesoderm during posterior development. Homozygous embryos lacking T activity do not develop a trunk and tail and die in utero. The T gene is specifically expressed in notochord and early mesoderm cells in the embryo. recent data have demonstrated that the T protein is localized in the cell nucleus and specifically binds to a palindrome of 20 bp (the T site) in vitro. We show that the T protein activates expression of a reporter gene in HeLa cells through binding to the T site. Thus T is a novel tissue-specific transcription factor. It consists of a large N-terminal DNA binding domain (amino acids 1-229) and two pairs of transactivation and repression domains in the C-terminal protein half. T can also transactivate transcription through variously oriented and spaced T sites, a fact that may be relevant in the search for genes controlled by T protein and important in mesoderm development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Nucleus / chemistry
  • Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / genetics
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / analysis
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Fetal Proteins / analysis
  • Fetal Proteins / genetics
  • Fetal Proteins / metabolism
  • Fetal Proteins / physiology*
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
  • Genes, Reporter / genetics
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Repressor Proteins / physiology*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
  • Sequence Deletion
  • T-Box Domain Proteins*
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / physiology*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic / physiology

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Fetal Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • DNA
  • Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase
  • Brachyury protein