T-Box Protein 4 (TBX4)

TBX4 is a member of a phylogenetically conserved family of genes that share a common DNA-binding domain, the T-box. T-box genes encode transcription factors involved in the regulation of developmental processes. This gene is the human homolog of mouse Tbx4, which is closely linked to Tbx2 on mouse chromosome 11. Similarly this gene, like TBX2, maps to human chromosome 17. Expression studies in mouse and chicken show that Tbx4 is expressed in developing hindlimb, but not in forelimb buds, suggesting a role for this gene in regulating limb development and specification of limb identity.The deduced protein contains 545 amino acids. Mouse and human TBX4 share more than 95% amino acid similarity overall, including 100% identity within the T-box region.