title: A homeotic transformation is generated in the rostral branchial region of the head by disruption of Hoxa-2, which acts as a selector gene.
abstract: The Hoxa-2 gene was disrupted by homologous recombination. Homozygous mutant mice died at birth. Defects were found in the branchial region of the head, which corresponds to the Hoxa-2 rostral expression domain. While rhombomeric and neural crest cell (NCC) segmentation was not affected, mesenchymal NCC derivatives of the second arch were lacking, and second arch mesenchymal NCC identity was changed to first arch identity, resulting in homeotic transformation of second to first arch skeletal elements. These results reveal the existence of a skeletogenic ground pattern program common to at least the mesenchymal NCC that originated from rhombomeres 2 and 4. The appearance of an atavistic reptilian pterygoquadrate element in Hoxa-2 mutants suggests that this ground pattern is intermediate between reptiles and mammals. The ground pattern program appears to be modified in the mouse first arch by a Hox-independent process, whereas Hoxa-2 acts as a selector gene in the second arch.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire des Eucaryotes du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité, Institut de Chimie Biologique Faculté de Médecine.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Rijli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lakkaraju
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dierich
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dollé
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chambon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000196:embryology; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology*; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000196:embryology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout / Q000196:embryology*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000196:embryology