A novel homeobox gene, dharma, can induce the organizer in a non-cell-autonomous manner

Formation of Spemann organizer is a very significant stage in dorsoventral axis determination of vertebrate development. A novel zebrafish homeobox gene, dharma, has been isolated. It can induce the organizer ectopically. For the first time a zygotic gene implicated in formation of an organizer-inducing center has been identified.