Showing papers by "George L. Mutter published in 1989"
TL;DR: The generated transgenic mice that ectopically express Hox-1.1 suggest that retinoic acid embryopathy and the specific developmental defects caused by ectopic expression of a potential developmental control gene share a common pathogenic mechanism.
247 citations
01 Jan 1989
TL;DR: The homeobox is a 183 bp DNA sequence which was originally identified in Drosophila genes that are important in development and conservation in the genomes of diverse groups of animals, including mammals, provides a means for isolating potential development-regulating genes.
Abstract: The homeobox is a 183 bp DNA sequence which was originally identified in Drosophila genes that are important in development. Its conservation in the genomes of diverse groups of animals, including mammals, provides a means for isolating potential development-regulating genes. Our studies have focused on the isolation and characterization of the structure and expression of the mouse homeobox-containing gene Hox-1.4. Hox-1.4 is a member of the Hox-1 cluster of six homeobox-containing genes covering a region of ~80 kb on mouse chromosome 6. Hox-1.4 is unique in that its expression is restricted to the testis in the adult animal in a cell type-specific manner. The transcripts are found at comparable levels in meiotic prophase spermatocytes, early spermatids, and in cytoplasmic fragments of elongated spermatids and residual bodies. Northern blot hybridization analysis revealed that two different sized Hox-1.4 transcripts are detected in germ cells. The larger of the transcripts is found in post-meiotic cells. A third size class of Hox-1.4 transcripts are seen in embryos as early as 9.5 days of gestation. In situ hybridization analysis of Hox-1.4 expression in day 13.5 embryos reveals localizaton in the dorsal myelencephalon and the high cervical spinal column. We are currently: (a) investigating the molecular basis of the differences in Hox-1.4 transcript size; (b) examining the expression of other members of the Hox-1 locus during male and female germ cell development; and (c) using transgenic mice carrying Hox-1.4 constructs to identify the regulatory elements necessary for the testicular and embryonic expression.