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“Self‐regulation,” a new facet of Hox genes' function
Author(s) -
Sheth Rushikesh,
Bastida Maria Félix,
Kmita Marie,
Ros Marian
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.24019
Subject(s) - hox gene , biology , genetics , gene , regulation of gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression
Background: Precise temporal and spatial expression of the clustered Hox genes is essential for patterning the developing embryo. Temporal activation of Hox genes was shown to be cluster‐autonomous. However, gene clustering appears dispensable for spatial colinear expression. Generally, a set of Hox genes expressed in a group of cells instructs these cells about their fate such that the differential expression of Hox genes results in morphological diversity. The spatial colinearity is considered to rely both on local and long‐range cis regulation. Results: Here, we report on the global deregulation of HoxA and HoxD expression patterns upon inactivation of a subset of HOXA and HOXD proteins. Conclusions: Our data suggest the existence of a “self‐regulation” mechanism, a process by which HOX proteins establish and/or maintain the spatial domains of the Hox gene family and we propose that the functionally dominant HOX proteins could contribute to generating the spatial parameters of Hox expression in a given tissue, i.e., HOX controlling the establishment of the ultimate HOX code. Developmental Dynamics 243:182–191, 2014 . © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.