Gene organization of murine homeobox-containing gene clusters

A chromosomal walk which links a previously described and a new homeobox to the Hox-2 murine homeobox gene cluster is described, and the nucleotide sequence of the new homeobox is presented. With these new data the Hox-2 gene cluster contains seven loci on an approximately 100-kb-long physical map. Homology comparisons reveal that a significant number of vertebrate homeoboxes are in fact analogous. We also find that the linear order of homologous homeoboxes is similar in the two murine gene complexes, Hox-1 and Hox-2, and among the human homeobox loci on chromosome 17. Conservation of the homeo-domain and the linear gene order of homeobox-containing genes in vertebrates is discussed in light of the interactions and the anteroposterior linear order of homeotic loci in insects.