Zákány J, Kmita M, Alarcon P, de la Pompa J L, Duboule D
Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Quai Ernest Ansermet 30, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
Cell. 2001 Jul 27;106(2):207-17. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(01)00436-6.
During development, Hox gene transcription is activated in presomitic mesoderm with a time sequence that follows the order of the genes along the chromosome. Here, we show that Hoxd1 and other Hox genes display dynamic stripes of expression within presomitic mesoderm. The underlying transcriptional bursts may reflect the mechanism that coordinates Hox gene activation with somitogenesis. This mechanism appears to depend upon Notch signaling, as mice deficient for RBPJk, the effector of the Notch pathway, showed severely reduced Hoxd gene expression in presomitic mesoderm. These results suggest a molecular link between Hox gene activation and the segmentation clock. Such a linkage would efficiently keep in phase the production of novel segments with their morphological specification.
在发育过程中，Hox基因转录在体节发生前的中胚层中被激活，其时间顺序遵循基因在染色体上的排列顺序。在此，我们表明Hoxd1和其他Hox基因在体节发生前的中胚层内呈现动态表达条纹。潜在的转录爆发可能反映了协调Hox基因激活与体节形成过程的机制。这种机制似乎依赖于Notch信号通路，因为Notch信号通路的效应器RBPJk缺陷的小鼠在体节发生前的中胚层中Hoxd基因表达严重降低。这些结果表明Hox基因激活与分割时钟之间存在分子联系。这样的联系将有效地使新节段的产生与其形态特征保持同步。
