Transcriptional activator (By similarity). Functions as a switch in neuronal development, participating in the differentiation of embryonic neuroectodermal cells into neural tissues by making the ectodermal cells responsive to FGF-neuralizing signals. Downstream SRRT target that mediates the promotion of neural stem cell self-renewal (By similarity). By mid-gastrulation (stage 11), strongly expressed on the dorsal side of the embryo and by stage 13, expression marks the future neural plate including the neural crest. During neurulation, neural precursors showing expression converge to form the central nervous system and eye. At stage 23 (early tailbud), expressed in the primitive brain and optic vesicle, with expression high in the anterior neural tube. In the tail bud brain, expressed in several patches along the anterior-posterior axis in the telencephalon, midbrain-hindbrain boundary and hindbrain. Also expressed in the branchial arches during tailbud stages. In the tailbud eye, expressed in both the neural retina and the lens. Expressed zygotically from gastrula stage (stage 11). Expression remains constant at later stages. By bmp-antagonism. By chordin. The 9aaTAD motif is a transactivation domain present in a large number of yeast and animal transcription factors.