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On the border of the homeotic function: Re‐evaluating the controversial role of cofactor‐recruiting motifs
Author(s) -
Merabet Samir,
Hudry Bruno
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.201100019
Subject(s) - hox gene , homeotic gene , biology , shuffling , evolutionary biology , computational biology , protein function , function (biology) , conserved sequence , motif (music) , genetics , transcription factor , computer science , gene , peptide sequence , physics , acoustics , programming language
In this review we present concepts that challenge a recently emerging paradigm explaining how similar Hox proteins perform different developmental functions across evolution, despite relatively limited sequence variability. This paradigm relates to the transcription factor, Fushi tarazu (Ftz), whose evolutionary plasticity has been shown to rely on the shuffling between two short protein recognition motifs. We discuss the Ftz paradigm and consider alternative interpretations to the evolutionary flexibility of this Hox protein. In particular, we propose that the protein environment might have played a critical role in the functional shuffling of Ftz during arthropod evolution.