homeobox (hox) genes are contributed in the genetic control of development of the body plan, pattern formation, and cell fate determination and the other several key developmental processes. hox genes are also known as selector genes because expression within a given section of the embryo will cause its cells to choose a particular developmental path. hox genes encode transcription factors that...

To achieve accurate gene regulation, some homeodomain proteins bind cooperatively to DNA to increase those site specificities. We report a ternary complex structure containing two homeodomain proteins, aristaless (Al) and clawless (Cll), bound to DNA. Our results show that the extended conserved sequences of the Cll homeodomain are indispensable to cooperative DNA binding. In the Al-Cll-DNA com...

The homeodomain family of transcription factors plays a fundamental role in a diverse set of functions that include body plan specification, pattern formation and cell fate determination during metazoan development. Members of this family are characterized by a helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif known as the homeodomain. Homeodomain proteins regulate various cellular processes by specifically b...

An enduring problem in biology is explaining how novel functions of genes originated and those diverge between species. Despite detailed studies on the functional evolution a few proteins, molecular mechanisms by which protein have evolved are almost entirely unknown. Here, we show that polyalanine tract homeodomain transcription factor HoxA11 arose stem-lineage mammals as an autonomous repress...

The Ubx and abd-A gene products are required for proper development of thoracic and abdominal structures in Drosophila. We expressed LexA-Ubx and LexA-abdA fusion proteins in yeast. These proteins activated expression of target genes that carried either upstream LexA operators or upstream Ubx binding sites. Both proteins contain homeodomains. Experiments with mutant fusion proteins show that th...

Cells translate extracellular signals into specific programs of gene expression that reflect their developmental history or identity. We present evidence that one way this interpretation may be performed is by cooperative interactions between serum response factor (SRF) and certain homeodomain proteins. We show that human and Drosophila homeodomain proteins of the paired class have the ability ...

The Homeodomain Resource is a curated collection of sequence, structure, interaction, genomic and functional information on the homeodomain family. The current version builds upon previous versions by the addition of new, complete sets of homeodomain sequences from fully sequenced genomes, the expansion of existing curated homeodomain information and the improvement of data accessibility throug...

Drosophila homeodomain proteins bind to specific DNA sequences in vitro and are hypothesized to regulate the transcription of other genes during development. Using a cotransfection assay, we have shown that homeodomain proteins encoded by the homeotic gene Antennapedia (Antp) and the segmentation gene fushi tarazu, as well as a hybrid homeodomain protein, are activators of transcription from sp...