The Generic Facet of Hox Protein Function

Publication date: Available online 18 September 2018Source: Trends in GeneticsAuthor(s): Andrew J. Saurin, Marie Claire Delfini, Corinne Maurel-Zaffran, Yacine GrabaHox transcription factors are essential to promote morphological diversification of the animal body. A substantial number of studies have focused on how Hox proteins reach functional specificity, an issue that arises from the fact that these transcription factors control distinct developmental functions despite sharing similar molecular properties. In this review, we highlight that, besides specific functions, for which these transcription factors are renowned, Hox proteins also often have nonspecific functions. We next discuss some emerging principles of these generic functions and how they relate to specific functions and explore our current grasp of the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Source: Trends in Genetics - September 20, 2018 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research