title: Homeotic gene regulation: a paradigm for epigenetic mechanisms underlying organismal development.
abstract: The organization of eukaryotic genome into chromatin within the nucleus eventually dictates the cell type specific expression pattern of genes. This higher order of chromatin organization is established during development and dynamically maintained throughout the life span. Developmental mechanisms are conserved in bilaterians and hence they have body plan in common, which is achieved by regulatory networks controlling cell type specific gene expression. Homeotic genes are conserved in metazoans and are crucial for animal development as they specify cell type identity along the anterior-posterior body axis. Hox genes are the best studied in the context of epigenetic regulation that has led to significant understanding of the organismal development. Epigenome specific regulation is brought about by conserved chromatin modulating factors like PcG/trxG proteins during development and differentiation. Here we discuss the conserved epigenetic mechanisms relevant to homeotic gene regulation in metazoans.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500 007, India.
authors.forename: Navneet K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Matharu
authors.forename: Vasanthi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dasari
authors.forename: Rakesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D050436:Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional; D014158:Transcription, Genetic