Developmental pluripotency associated genes (Dppa) in lower vertebrates have remained undetected until the discovery of a Dppa homologue in Xenopus laevis [1], reporting a new domain termed Dppa2/4 conserved region (DCR). In higher vertebrate Dppa proteins the DCR domain is located next to the here-reported domain. The domain is subject to structure determination by the Joint Center of Structural Genomics.

1: Functional dissection of XDppa2/4 structural domains in Xenopus development. Siegel D, Schuff M, Oswald F, Cao Y, Knochel W; Mech Dev. 2009;126:974-89. PMID:19772919