CMMB 403 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Hox Gene, Thoracic Vertebrae, Hindbrain
4 Jan 2019
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Document Summary
Axial skeletons of mice in gene knockout experiments. Gene knockouts and gain of function experiments, as well as identification of naturally occurring mutations, are used to determine the functions of hox genes. This process is complicated by he redundancy between paralogs, therefore, knockouts of paralogs are required. Ko (knockout) because paralogs tend to have overall similar function (not 100% similar, partially similar function) If you ko enough hox genes, you"ll get transformation of posterior structures into anterior structures. The most anterior region where a hox gene is expressed is usually where its patterning function is most important. It has also been found that the most 5" (posterior) hox genes (higher numbers) expressed in a tissue usually have dominant patterning function over more 3" (anterior, lower number) genes expressed in the same tissue. Somites express hox genes, but it"s the ones with the biggest numbers that are the ones that will be expressed most in the posterior region.
