HoxGene
HoxGene is a term used to refer to the Hox gene family, a group of homeotic genes that control the identity of body segments along the anterior-posterior axis during embryonic development in animals. These genes encode transcription factors that regulate the expression of many other genes, thereby shaping the animal’s body plan. The discovery of homeotic genes in model organisms revealed that mutations can transform one body segment into another, highlighting their role in specifying segment identity.
Most Hox genes contain a homeobox, a conserved DNA-binding domain of about 60 amino acids that enables
Regulation of Hox gene activity involves complex networks of transcription factors, signaling pathways, and chromatin modifiers.
Clinical and model-organism relevance includes the association of Hox gene mutations with developmental malformations. For example,