Evolutionary history of the iroquois/Irx genes in metazoans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The iroquois (iro/Irx) genes encode transcriptional regulators that belong to the TALE superclass of homeodomain proteins and have key functions during development in both vertebrates and insects. The Irx genes occur in one or two genomic clusters containing three genes each within the Drosophila and several vertebrate genomes, respectively. The similar genomic organization in Drosophila and vertebrates is widely considered as a result of convergent evolution, due to independent tandem gene duplications. In this study, we investigate the evolutionary history of the Irx genes at the scale of the whole metazoan kingdom.

Results

We identified in silico the putative full complement of Irx genes in the sequenced genomes of 36 different species representative of the mai

SUBMITTER: Kerner P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2674049 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature