Question

What does the HOX gene control?

Answer 1

Hint: These genes are a set of transcription factor genes that possess very unusual properties. It builds the layout of the basic body structure of many animals, such as humans, flies, and worms. They are involved in setting up the head-to-tail organization of animals. This gene regulates from small changes to major changes and can represent itself as a major source of evolutionary changes.

Correct answer:
The hox genes control the development of the entire body plan of an embryo along with the head to the tail axis. It also acts as genetic switches that turn on and off other genes and thus control the timing and route of development.
 In skeletal stem cells, the hox genes generate a positional memory that influences their differentiation potential.
-A subset of homeobox genes known as
Hox genes are a group of related genes that specify regions of the body plan of an embryo along the head-tail axis of animals.
-Hox proteins encode and specify the characteristics of 'position', which means these genes are ensuring the formation of correct structures at the correct places in the body.
-In insects, the hox genes specify which appendages form on which particular segment of the insect body. For example legs, antennae, and wings develop in which particular segment in fruit flies.
-Hox genes In vertebrates the hox genes specify the types and shape of vertebrae that will form along with their position.
-Each Hox gene contains a well-conserved DNA sequence referred to as the homeobox, of which the term "Hox" was originally a contraction. However, in current usage the term Hox is no longer equivalent to homeobox because Hox genes are not the only genes to possess a homeobox sequence.
-In various animals, the organization of the Hox genes in the chromosome is the same as the order of their expression along the anterior-posterior axis of the developing animal.

Note:
-In segmented animals, the hox proteins thus confer segmental or positional identity but don't form the particular segments by themselves.
-The protein product of every Hox gene may be a transcription factor.
-In humans, there exist over 200 homeobox genes out of which 39 are Hox genes