Analysis of Brachyury Gene - Essay Example

This gene is a preserved subgroup of the T domain transcription factors, which share an exclusive DNA binding domain, and are responsible for the regulation of a myriad of early vertebrate developmental processes (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc. 2013, par. 2), including oogenesis, neurogenesis, the maturity of limb all through the kingdom Animalia, and gastrulation.

The nature of Brachyury proteins explains the gut and posterior mesoderm characteristics of the kingdom Animalia (Evans et al. 2012); that is, homogenous and heterogeneous animals. In cases where the Brachyury proteins fail to express themselves in the gut and posterior mesoderm, it means that those animals lost these T domain genes in the process of evolution. Brachyury proteins of the T domain are found in ascidians, cephalochordates, and hemichordates. Since they belong to the T domain, this gives DNA binding characteristics to the Brachyury proteins.

Brachyury proteins can also be considered transcriptional activators because they can get attached to a 24-bp palindromic target sequence (Brody 1997, par. 24).