homeotic
Homeotic is an adjective used in biology to describe processes, genes, or mutations that relate to homeosis—the transformation of one organ or body part into another during development. In genetics and developmental biology, homeotic elements control patterning along body axes and specify the identity of developing segments or structures.
Homeotic mutations produce structural transformations, such as a leg forming in place of an antenna in fruit
Most well-characterized homeotic genes encode transcription factors containing a homeobox, a conserved DNA-binding domain. In animals,
Historically, work on Drosophila and other model organisms in the late 20th century led to a widely
See also: Homeobox; Hox gene; Homeotic gene; Evolutionary developmental biology.