Like other HOX genes the murine Hox-2.4 gene is thought to be involved in regional specification along the antero-posterior axis. In addition it has been reported to have oncogenic potential. We studied expression Hox-2.4 in murine EC cells and determined the transcription start site. Studies of DNA-protein interactions in the promoter region showed that the Hox-2.4 promoter contains a CCAAT bo...

Hox collinearity is a spectacular phenomenon that has excited life scientists since its discovery in 1978. Two mechanisms have been proposed to explain the spatially sequential pattern of Hox gene expression in animal embryonic development: interactions among Hox genes, or the progressive opening of chromatin in the Hox clusters, from 3' to 5'. A review of the evidence across different species ...

The sequence of a mouse Hox 2.9 cDNA clone is presented. The predicted homeodomain is similar to that of the Drosophila gene labial showing 80 % identity. The equivalent gene in the Hox 1 cluster is Hox 1.6 which shows extensive similarity to Hox 2.9 both within and outside the homeodomain. Hox 2.9 and Hox 1.6 are the only two mouse members of the labial-like family of homeobox-containing genes...

Retinoic acid (RA) induces expression of genes encoding the Hox family of transcription factors, whose differential expression orchestrates developmental programs specifying anterior-posterior structures during embryogenesis. Hox proteins bind DNA as monomers and heterodimers with Pbx proteins. Here we show that RA upregulates Pbx protein abundance coincident with transcriptional activation of ...

Deuterostomes comprise a monophyletic group of animals that include chordates, xenoturbellids, and the Ambulacraria, which consists of echinoderms and hemichordates. The ancestral chordate probably had 14 Hox genes aligned linearly along the chromosome, with the posterior six genes showing an independent duplication compared to protostomes. In contrast, ambulacrarians are characterized by a dup...

Combining reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and molecular cloning technologies, we have investigated the expression of homeodomain proteins in chicken gizzard tissues undergoing differentiation. We demonstrate that homeodomain encoding transcripts are found in developing chicken gizzard. An RT-PCR generated 117 bp homeodomain DNA probe was used to screen a gizzard library ...

Hox genes encode homeodomain-containing transcription factors that determine cell and tissue identities in the embryo during development. Hox genes are also expressed in various adult tissues and cancer cells. In Drosophila, expression of cell adhesion molecules, cadherins and integrins, is regulated by Hox proteins operating in hierarchical molecular pathways and plays a crucial role in segmen...

The initial rostrocaudal patterning of the neural tube leads to differential expression of Hox genes that contribute to the specification of motor neuron (MN) subtype identity. Although several 3' Hox mRNAs are expressed in progenitors in a noisy manner, these Hox proteins are not expressed in the progenitors and only become detectable in postmitotic MNs. MicroRNA biogenesis impairment leads to...

The regulated head-to-tail expression of Hox genes provides a coordinate system for the activation of specific programmes of cell differentiation according to axial level. Recent work indicates that Hox expression can be regulated via RNA processing but the underlying mechanisms and biological significance of this form of regulation remain poorly understood. Here we explore these issues within ...

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant syndrome caused by mutations in the MEN1 tumor suppressor gene. Loss of the functional second copy of the MEN1 gene causes individuals to develop multiple endocrine tumors, primarily affecting the parathyroid, pituitary, and pancreas. While it is clear that the protein encoded by MEN1, menin, suppresses endocrine tumors, its bi...