Transcriptional activator that induces expression of multiple genes including pax3, en2, snai2/slug, feb and a subset of wnt genes. Has multiple key roles in the regulation of neural induction and neur...[+]

Transcriptional activator that induces expression of multiple genes including pax3, en2, snai2/slug, feb and a subset of wnt genes. Has multiple key roles in the regulation of neural induction and neurogenesis: acts as a neural competence factor, sensitizing the presumptive neuroectoderm to respond to subsequent neuralizing signals. Promotes both preplacodal cell fates and neural crest cell fates, two of the cell populations that arise from the neural plate border. Cooperates with pax3 in concert with wnt signaling to determine neural crest fate. Synergizes with the bmp-inhibitor noggin/nog and acts through the wnt pathway to induce expression of en2. May bind to the minimal GLI-consensus sequence 5'-TGGGTGGTC-3'. [-]