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Related Experiment Videos

Hox and wings.

Jean Deutsch1

  • 1Equipe Developpement et Evolution, UMR 7622, CNRS et Universite P et M Curie, 9 quai St-Bernard, case 24, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France. jean.deutsch@snv.jussieu.fr

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|June 15, 2005
PubMed
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In beetles, Hox genes control appendage development. Loss of these genes transforms wings into elytra, challenging previous understanding of Hox gene function in insect evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental biology
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Appendages are key morphological traits in bilaterian phyla, defining body part identity.
  • In insects, wings are dorsal thoracic appendages, with Hox genes playing a crucial role in their development, as exemplified by the bithorax phenotype in flies.
  • Beetles possess rigid elytra instead of the first pair of wings, making them an interesting model for studying appendage evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of thoracic Hox genes in the development of appendages in the beetle Tribolium castaneum.
  • To understand the role of Hox genes in the evolution of insect wing and elytron diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Classical genetics
  • Transgenesis

Related Experiment Videos

  • RNA interference (RNAi)

    • Main Results:

    • Loss of function in thoracic Hox genes did not result in the transformation of elytra into wings as might be expected.
    • Instead, the absence of Hox gene function led to the homeotic transformation of the second pair of dorsal appendages (wings) into elytra.
    • This finding provides new insights into the specific roles of Hox genes in beetle appendage specification.

    Conclusions:

    • The study challenges the traditional view of Hox gene function in appendage development and evolution.
    • The results suggest a more complex and potentially divergent role for Hox genes in specifying different appendage types in insects.
    • This research has significant implications for understanding the evolutionary pathways that led to the diversity of insect body plans.