On the nature of thumbs.
Asymmetric regulation of Hox gene expression pre-dates the appearance of tetrapod digits, and was co-opted in the development of 'thumbness'. This asymmetric expression correlates with independent morphological evolutionary variation of digit 1.
Wagner
Günter P
GP
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8106, USA. gunter.wagner@yale.edu
Vargas
Alexander O
AO
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013933:Thumb / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins