ZmHox: a novel class of maize homeobox genes

Clones of two highly related genes, ZmHox2a and ZmHox2b (Zea mays homeobox), were isolated from maize embryo cDNA libraries by screening with the ZmHox1a homeobox sequence. The genes map to chromosomes 3 and 8, respectively, and encode mRNA transcripts of 6kb. The encoded proteins, ZmHox2a and b, share 84% sequence identity and exhibit a modular structure with several novel plant-specific protein domains. Interestingly, each ZmHox2a, gene product contains two complete homeodomains which, for Zmhox2a, were both shown to be functional DNA-binding motifs in vitro. Not only probes encoding the homeobox but also DNA fragments corresponding to other ZmHox2 domains hybridize to multiple bands in genomic Southern blots, indicating that related protein domains may be conserved in other maize genes. The ZmHox2a/b genes, therefore, are members of a novel and large class of maize genes, some of which can be expected to encode new transcription factors.