Expression of Brachyury-like T-box transcription factor, Xbra3 in Xenopus embryo

The Xenopus Brachyury-like Xbra3 gene is a novel T-box gene that is closely associated with Xenopus Brachyury. The expression pattern of Xbra3 during development is similar to that of Xbra. During gastrulation Xbra3 is expres sed in the marginal zone, with a gradient of increasing expression from ven tral to dorsal. In the early neurula stage Xbra3 is expressed in the notoch ord and posterior mesoderm, but by the tailbud stage its expression is rest ricted to the forming tailbud and the posterior portion of the notochord.