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An orphan PRD class homeobox gene expressed in mouse brain and limb development
Tokiharu Takahashi1, Peter W H Holland, Martin J Cohn
1School of Animal and Microbial Science, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AJ, UK.
Abstract:
We report the cDNA sequence and expression of a mouse homeobox gene, Dmbx1, from the PRD class and comparison to its human orthologue. The gene defines a new homeobox gene family, Dmbx, phylogenetically distinct from the Ptx, Alx, Prx Otx, Gsc, Otp and Pax gene families. The Dmbx1 gene is expressed in the developing mouse diencephalon, midbrain and hindbrain, and has dynamic expression during forelimb and hindlimb development. Unusually for homeobox genes, there is no orthologue in the Drosophila or Caenorhabditis genomes; we argue this reflects secondary loss.

