Teleost HoxD and HoxA genes: Comparison with tetrapods and functional evolution of the HOXD complex

Frank Van Der Hoeven, Paolo Sordino, Nadine Fraudeau, Juan Carlos Izpisúa-Belmonte, Denis Duboule

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

85 Scopus citations

Abstract

In tetrapods, Hox genes are essential for the proper organization and development of axial structures. Experiments involving Hox gene inactivations have revealed their particularly important functions in the establishment of morphological transitions within metameric series such as the vertebral column. Teleost fish show a much simpler range of axial (trunk or appendicular) morphologies, which prompted us to investigate the nature of the Hox system in these lower vertebrates. Here, we show that fish have a family of Hox genes, very similar in both number and general organization, to that of tetrapods. Expression studies, carried out with HoxD and HoxA genes, showed that all vertebrates use the same general scheme, involving the colinear activation of gene expression in both space and time. Comparisons between tetrapods and fish allowed us to propose a model which accounts for the primary function of this gene family. In this model, a few ancestral Hox genes were involved in the determination of polarity in the digestive tract and were further recruited in more elaborate axial structures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)9-21
Number of pages13
JournalMechanisms of Development
Volume54
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1996
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Fish
  • HOXD complex
  • Hox genes
  • Tetrapods

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Embryology
  • Developmental Biology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Teleost HoxD and HoxA genes: Comparison with tetrapods and functional evolution of the HOXD complex'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this