Ambivalent partnership of the Drosophila posterior class Hox protein Abdominal-B with Extradenticle and Homothorax

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011355
• Publication Date: 2025-01-13T19:05:38Z
• Authors: Jesús R. Curt; Paloma Martín; David Foronda; Bruno Hudry; Ramakrishnan Kannan; Srividya Shetty; Samir Merabet; Andrew J. Saurin; Yacine Graba; Ernesto Sánchez- ...
• Keywords: Ambivalence

Hox proteins, a sub-group of the homeodomain (HD) transcription factor family, provide positional information for axial patterning in development and evolution. protein functional specificity is reached, at least part, through interactions with Pbc (Extradenticle (Exd) Drosophila ) Meis/Prep (Homothorax (Hth) proteins. Most our current knowledge stems from study anterior central identifying molecular structural bases Hox/Pbc/Meis-Prep cooperative action. Posterior class Abdominal-B (Abd-B) Hox9-13 vertebrates, have been comparatively less studied. They strongly diverge low degree HD sequence conservation absence core canonical interaction motif. Here we explore how Abd-B function interface that Exd/Hth using several developmental contexts, studying mutual expression control, dependency intrinsic requirements. Results identify cross-regulatory setting relative activity levels required proper development. also reveal organ-specific requirement binary interplay Exd Hth, either antagonistic, as previously reported, or synergistic. This highlights context specific use Exd/Hth, similar