A double-edged sword to force posterior dominance of Hox genes

Bioessays. 2008 Nov;30(11-12):1058-61. doi: 10.1002/bies.20847.

Abstract

Spatially and temporally restricted expression of Hox genes requires multiple mechanisms at both the transcriptional and the post-transcriptional levels. New insight into this precise expression mechanism comes from recent findings of a novel sense-antisense miRNA combination from the bithorax complex of Drosophila melanogaster. These two miRNAs encoded from the same locus target 3' untranslated regions of anterior hox genes, Antp, Ubx and abd-A to establish the dominance of posterior hox gene Abd-B in its expression domain. Such double-edge tools, sense-antisense miRNA combinations, also operate at multiple loci in the genome implicating their wider impact on the post-transcriptional gene regulation in eukaryotes.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Animals
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Genes, Homeobox*
  • Genome
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Genetic
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / chemistry
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
  • RNA, Untranslated / chemistry
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • RNA, Untranslated