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Hox genes, a subset of homeobox genes, are a group of related genes that specify regions of the body plan of an embryo along the head-tail axis of animals. Hox proteins encode and specify the characteristics of 'position', ensuring that the correct structures form in the correct places of the body.
Homeobox genes encode homeodomain protein products that are transcription factors sharing a characteristic protein fold structure that binds DNA to regulate expression of target genes. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 2 ] Homeodomain proteins regulate gene expression and cell differentiation during early embryonic development, thus mutations in homeobox genes can ...
Homeotic selector genes confer segment identity in Drosophila. They encode homeodomain proteins which interact with Hox and other homeotic genes to initiate segment-specific gene regulation. Homeodomain proteins are transcription factors that share a DNA-binding domain called the homeodomain. [1]
Hox genes are a subset of the homeobox genes. The Hox genes are often conserved across species, so some of the Hox genes of Drosophila are homologous to those in humans. In general, Hox genes play a role of regulating expression of genes as well as aiding in development and assignment of specific structures during embryonic growth.
The anatomical boundaries of neuromeres are determined by the expression of unique genes known as Hox genes in a particular zone. The Hox genes contain the 183-bp homeobox, which encodes a particular portion of the Hox proteins called the homeodomain. The homeodomain can then bind to other portions of DNA to regulate gene expression.
This gene is part of the A cluster on chromosome 7 and encodes a DNA-binding transcription factor which may regulate gene expression, morphogenesis, and cellular differentiation. The homeobox protein Hox-A1 may be involved in the placement of hindbrain segments in the proper location along the anterior-posterior axis during development. [8]
Homeobox genes, of which the most well-characterized category is represented by the HOX genes, play a crucial role in normal development. In addition, several homeoproteins are involved in neoplasia. This gene encodes a homeobox protein belonging to the TALE ('three amino acid loop extension') family of homeodomain-containing proteins. [6]
Thus, the 60 amino acid DNA binding protein domain was named the homeodomain, while the 180 bp nucleotide sequence encoding it was named the homeobox. The homeobox gene clusters studied by Ed Lewis were named the Hox genes, although many more homeobox genes are encoded by animal genomes than those in the Hox gene clusters.