Rax, a novel paired-type homeobox gene, shows expression in the anterior neural fold and developing retina.

ABSTRACT: Development of the vertebrate eye has been found to require the activity of several genes encoding homeodomain proteins (Freund, C., Horsford, D. J. & McInnes, R. R. (1996) Hum. Mol. Genet. 5, 1471-1488). Some of these genes, or portions thereof, are highly conserved across phyla. In this paper, we report the identification of a novel homeobox gene, rax (retina and anterior neural fold homeobox), whose expression pattern suggests an important role in eye development. The predicted amino acid sequence of Rax comprises a protein with a paired-type homeobox, as well as the octapeptide that is found in many paired-type homeobox genes. In addition, in the C terminus of Rax, we found a 15-aa domain that we have named the OAR domain. This domain is also found in several other homeobox genes. In t

SUBMITTER: Furukawa T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC20326 | biostudies-literature | 1997 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature