Hox proteins provide positional cues along the anterior posterior axis in majority of animals on this planet. This positional information is crucial in segment specific morphogenesis. Hox proteins is a part of antennapedia class of proteins, which consists of about 100 genes in bilaterians , divided into 30 gene families belonging to four major groups: HOX / PARAHOX genes (45 genes, four gene families), HOX-related genes (nine genes, five gene families), NK genes (16 genes, seven gene families), and NK-related genes (28 genes, 18 pseudogenes, 14 gene families). (1040)

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For the benefit of new readers of Hoxful Monsters, here is the list of top Hox and evo devo posts published in the blog in last few years:
1)This blog post talks about Hox genes in Cindarians and was published in Hoxful Monsters blog in 2008.
Title of the post is : Hox genes in Cnidarians : The story of Nematostella and Eleutheria and basically talks about two article from PLOS ONE journalin year 2007.
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Saw this video of amazing Cnidarians at PZ Myers blog . Video originally uploaded by Eugenia Loli-Queru watch this mesmerizing video.

Drifters of the deep from Eugenia Loli-Queru on Vimeo.
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Scientists from France,Germany and Canada have recently put forward a new tree of life based on the most comprehensive phylogenomics study to date ,investigating 128 genes from a total of 55 species – including nine poriferans, eight cnidarians, three ctenophores and the single known species of placozoans. This study was mainly done to overcome the confusions prevailing at the base of the tree of metazoans and also to establish relationships between some of these very early animal groups with a high degree of confidence.
This new study revives traditional views …

Hox genes are homeodomain containing transcription factors playing a crucial role in patterning the antero-posterior ( AP) axis in bilaterians.The mechanism of patterning by Hox genes is remarkably conserved across the entire bilateria even though huge diversification of body plan exists. The fact that orthologous genes display similar genomic organisation and expression patterns with comparable spatial and temporal characteristics in distantly related species has provided clues for understanding the evolution of the body plan. It was with discovery of homeodomain and later with similarity of Hox clusters in Mice and …

Apologies for not updating the blog for past few days ,being in final year of p.hd it gets sometimes very difficult to get some time out for blog. Need to finish many experiments in order to get my project in some good shape. Lot of genetic experiments and also invitro stuff are keeping me busy.But will try to write some updates as many interesting things are coming up in the field of evolution and developmental biology. Today we will check some interesting articles and reviews which appeared last week …

Casey Dunn is looking for a postdoc in his lab at Brown University.This would be great fun, mixing genomics and microscopy to do some very cool science. Just to remind you ( in case you forget) Cassey dunn is same person who hit headlines with phylogenomics paper in April issue of Nature,which placed Ctenophores at the base of the tree of life. So all finishing graduates, its an interesting opportunity around.
Currently seeking a postdoctoral researcher interested in the evolutionary developmental biology of cnidarians. The primary goal of the project …