A CTCF-dependent mechanism  underlies the Hox timer: relation to a segmented body plan

Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2024 Feb 19;85:102160. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2024.102160. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDuring gastrulation, Hox genes are activated in a time-sequence that follows the order of the genes along their clusters. This property, which is observed in all animals that develop following a progressive rostral-to-caudal morphogenesis, is associated with changes in the chromatin structure and epigenetic profiles of Hox clusters, suggesting a process at least partly based on sequential gene accessibility. Here, we discuss recent work on this issue, as well as a possible mechanism based on the surprising conservation in both the distribution and orientation of CTCF sites inside vertebrate Hox clusters.PMID:38377879 | DOI:10.1016/j.gde.2024.102160
Source: Current Opinion in Genetics and Development - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Source Type: research