Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic axial patterning requires two recently discovered posterior-group Hox genes.

ABSTRACT: Hox genes encode highly conserved transcription factors that control regional identities of cells and tissues along the developing anterior-posterior axis, probably in all bilaterian metazoans. However, in invertebrate embryos other than Drosophila, Hox gene functions remain largely unknown except by inference from sequence similarities and expression patterns. Recent genomic sequencing has shown that Caenorhabditis elegans has three Hox genes of the posterior paralog group [Ruvkun, G. & Hobert, O. (1998) Science 282, 2033-2041]. However, only one has been previously identified genetically, and it is not required for embryonic development [Chisholm, A. (1991) Development (Cambridge, U.K.) 111, 921-932]. Herein, we report identification of the remaining two posterior paralogs as the nob-1 g

SUBMITTER: Van Auken K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC18263 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature