In order to perform comparative study of Homeodomain containing genes within and in between species ,requires a evolutionary based classification, HomeoDB does that to perfection.

HomeoDB was designed and implemented as a manually curated database to collect and present homeobox genes in an evolutionarily structured way, allowing genes, gene families and gene classes to be compared between species more readily than was possible previously.
In the first release of HomeoDB ,all homeodomain genes from Amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae ), fruitfly (Drosophila melanogaster and Humans are included .Soon one might expect addition …

A novel mechanism of Hox proteins was deciphered by the group of Brian Gebelein ,where in Hox protein Abdominal -A (abd-A) permits secretion of EGF in Peripheral nervous system(PNS) by promoting rhomboid expression and by competing out senseless.
Hox genes are known for their selector activity which sculpt the body plan along anterior posterior axis. Hox protein control patterning of body plan in almost all metazoans by regulating distinct cells, tissues, and organs. So understanding how Hox proteins function is utmost important for better understanding of development and evolution.

Homeodomain containing transcription factors are vital for proper development and differentiation in animals,plants and fungi. This 60 amino acid conserved DNA binding motif is found in six different class of proteins: ANTP, PRD, POU, LIM, SIX and TALE. Huge gene diversity in Antennapedia class of homeodomain proteins account for evolution of body plans,regulation of body axis formation,symmetry and Nervous system.
The ANTP superclass consists of the Hox/ParaHox, extended Hox, and NKL genes (their relatedness complies with the above order). All Bilateria possess Hox/ParaHox,NKL, and extended Hox genes . and many of …

Trichoplax adherens is the only named (other cryptic species may exists) member of the phylum placozoa and arguably the simplest free-living animals on this planet.Trichoplax are soft-bodied, about 0.5 mm across,made up of four kind of cells (resembling somewhat a large amoeba). The name T. adhaerens was given because it tends to stick to its substrate.
Many people ,including me expected things to become lot simpler regarding nature of placozoans ,once the genome is sequenced.But Trichoplax seems to be in no mood to shed the enigmatic tag attached to it at …

Antennapedia ( Antp) class of Homeobox genes ( Hox, Para Hox and Nk genes) are considered to have played a very important role in diversity of animal body plan. Information obtained from genome sequences of diploblastic animals like Cntenophores and sponges reveal that they have only Nk genes from the Antp class and sponges lacked Hox genes from the beginning or had lost them during evolution.Information of these important developmental regulators in basal species provide valuable information for their role in higher organisms, as they are highly conserved through out …

Genetics is a discipline initially worked out by Gregor Mendel (Austrian monk) using common pea plants in his garden.Since then many great minds used genetics to understand important problems of biology, including the study of evolution and how plants and animals develop. The power of genetics and its importance to mankind was first time recognized by the award of Nobel prize in Physiology or medicine in 1933 to T.H.Morgan . The role of his students, especially A.H.Sturtevant, C.B. Bridges and H.J.Muller was immense in making Drosophila, a powerful model system …

Researchers have discovered a central molecular switch in fruit fly embryos that opens new avenues for studying the causes of birth defects and cancer in humans. Writing about their study in the Aug. 12 Developmental Cell, scientists at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center determined the switch to be a main tuning mechanism for instructing cells whether to form sensory nerves or blood cells in different parts of the body.
The molecular switch occurs when two central control genes, Hox and Senseless (Sens), compete for influence to regulate genetic signals that instruct …