TY - JOUR

T1 - Irreducible Complexity of Hox Gene: Path to the Canonical Function of the Hox Cluster

AU - Кулакова, Милана Анатольевна

AU - Маслаков, Георгий Павлович

AU - Полюшкевич, Людмила Олеговна

PY - 2024/7/4

Y1 - 2024/7/4

N2 - Abstract: The evolution of major taxa is often associated with the emergence of new gene families. In all multicellular animals except sponges and comb jellies, the genomes contain Hox genes, which are crucial regulators of development. The canonical function of Hox genes involves colinear patterning of body parts in bilateral animals. This general function is implemented through complex, precisely coordinated mechanisms, not all of which are evolutionarily conserved and fully understood. We suggest that the emergence of this regulatory complexity was preceded by a stage of cooperation between more ancient morphogenetic programs or their individual elements. Footprints of these programs may be present in modern animals to execute non-canonical Hox functions. Non-canonical functions of Hox genes are involved in maintaining terminal nerve cell specificity, autophagy, oogenesis, pre-gastrulation embryogenesis, vertical signaling, and a number of general biological processes. These functions are realized by the basic properties of homeodomain protein and could have triggered the evolution of ParaHoxozoa and Nephrozoa subsequently. Some of these non-canonical Hox functions are discussed in our review.

AB - Abstract: The evolution of major taxa is often associated with the emergence of new gene families. In all multicellular animals except sponges and comb jellies, the genomes contain Hox genes, which are crucial regulators of development. The canonical function of Hox genes involves colinear patterning of body parts in bilateral animals. This general function is implemented through complex, precisely coordinated mechanisms, not all of which are evolutionarily conserved and fully understood. We suggest that the emergence of this regulatory complexity was preceded by a stage of cooperation between more ancient morphogenetic programs or their individual elements. Footprints of these programs may be present in modern animals to execute non-canonical Hox functions. Non-canonical functions of Hox genes are involved in maintaining terminal nerve cell specificity, autophagy, oogenesis, pre-gastrulation embryogenesis, vertical signaling, and a number of general biological processes. These functions are realized by the basic properties of homeodomain protein and could have triggered the evolution of ParaHoxozoa and Nephrozoa subsequently. Some of these non-canonical Hox functions are discussed in our review.

KW - ANTP

KW - Hox genes

KW - Metazoa

KW - Nephrozoa

KW - ParaHoxozoa

KW - developmental autophagy

KW - homeodomain

KW - neurogenesis

KW - non-canonical functions of Hox genes

KW - oogenesis

KW - vertical signaling

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/cbc1be00-38fa-3258-8f5b-b6fec908545f/

U2 - 10.1134/s0006297924060014

DO - 10.1134/s0006297924060014

M3 - Review article

VL - 89

SP - 987

EP - 1001

JO - Biochemistry (Moscow)

JF - Biochemistry (Moscow)

SN - 0006-2979

IS - 6

ER -