Beaware of Paper Hox

Hox genes (also known as homeotic genes) are a group of related genes that control the body plan of an embryo along the anterior-posterior (head-tail) axis. After the embryonic segments have formed, the Hox proteins determine the type of segment structures (e.g. legs, antennae, and wings in fruit flies or the different types of vertebrae in humans) that will form on a given segment. Hox proteins thus confer segmental identity, but do not form the actual segments themselves [1]

Hox genes are defined as having the following properties:

their protein product is a transcription factor

they contain a DNA sequence known as the homeobox

in many animals, the organization of the Hox genes on the chromosome is the same as the order of their expression along the anterior-posterior axis of the developing animal, and are thus said to display colinearity.[2]

Contents [hide]

1 Hox genes code for transcription factors

2 The sequence and function of Hox genes is highly conserved

3 Hox gene function in Drosophila

3.1 lab (labial)

3.2 pb (proboscipedia)

3.3 Dfd (Deformed)

3.4 Scr (Sex combs reduced)

3.5 Antp (Antennapedia)

3.6 Ubx (Ultrabithorax)

3.7 abd-A (abdominal-A)

3.8 Abd-B (Abdominal-B)

4 Classification of Hox proteins

5 Genes regulated by Hox proteins

6 Enhancer sequences that are bound by homeodomains

7 Regulation of Hox genes

8 Collinearity of Hox genes

9 Hox nomenclature

10 Human genes

11 History

12 See also

13 References

14 Further reading

15 External links

Hox genes code for transcription factors[edit]

The products of Hox genes are Hox proteins. Hox proteins are transcription factors, which are proteins that are capable of binding to specific nucleotide sequences on the DNA called enhancers where they either activate or repress genes. The same Hox protein can act as a repressor at one gene and an activator at another. The ability of Hox proteins to bind DNA is conferred by a part of the protein referred to as the homeodomain. The...