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Evolution of the interaction between Hox genes and a downstream target
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Current Biology : CB
|May 28, 1998
Summary
Hox genes control insect body segments. The repression of Distal-less (Dll) by Bithorax Complex (BX-C) proteins evolved later in insect evolution, not universally across hexapods.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Evolutionary genetics
- Insect morphology
Background:
- Hox genes establish segmental identity in insects.
- Distal-less (Dll) is crucial for distal limb development.
- Bithorax Complex (BX-C) proteins normally repress Dll in abdominal segments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary timing of the repressive interaction between BX-C proteins and Dll.
- To understand when this regulatory interaction emerged during hexapod evolution.
Main Methods:
- Examined gene expression patterns of Dll and BX-C proteins in three hexapod orders.
- Compared Dll expression in abdominal segments across different species.
Main Results:
- Dll expression was observed in abdominal cells of all examined hexapod species, even with high BX-C protein levels.
- The strong repressive effect of BX-C on Dll appears to be a later evolutionary development.
Conclusions:
- The regulatory interaction between BX-C and Dll evolved relatively late in insect evolution.
- This interaction has evolved in a complex, segment-specific manner within hexapods.