Developmental Biology
Developmental Biology
11th Edition
ISBN: 9781605354705
Author: Scott F. Gilbert, Michael J. F. Barresi
Publisher: Sinauer Associates is an imprint of Oxford University Press
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Chapter 9, Problem 1DQ
Summary Introduction

To review:

The reason for not observing the extra set of limbs in humans as a result of homeotic mutations, as observed in the case of Drosophila.

Introduction:

In case of Drosophila, the homeotic selector genes regulate the characteristic structures of each segment. Most of the homeotic genes are present in two regions of chromosome III. Antennapedia complex is the first region and bithorax complex is the second region. These genes are not unique to fruit fly, many other organisms also contains these genes. The homeotic mutants of Drosophila leads to bizarre phenotypes, for example, a fly with four wings is a result of deletion of Ultrabithorax gene. But in case of humans, the homeotic mutation leads to a number of abnormalities, instead of emergence of extra limbs.

Expert Solution & Answer
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Explanation of Solution

The homeotic genes are always considered as powerful developmental genes which are preserved and modified along with the evolutionary line. These genes regulate the identity of the body segments along the head-tail axis. The mutation in these genes defects the signalling related to the formation of body parts. The beginning of body parts specification is done in the early embryo development. In humans, the homeotic mutation cause few diseases like lymphomas, in which white blood cells follows wrong lineage, DiGeorge syndrome, lack of thymus and parathyroid, abnormality in nose, ear, mouth and legs.

The mutation in Hox D13 leads to a genetic disorder known as synpolydactyly, in which extra fingers or toes are present in the fused form.

Conclusion

Thus it is concluded that homeotic genes play an important role in regulating the structural parts of body in different organisms including plants. The effect of mutation is not exactly same in all, in case of humans these mutations results a number of abnormalities like synpolydactyly (fused extra fingers or toes), DiGeorge syndrome, etc.

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Developmental Biology

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Mitochondrial mutations; Author: Useful Genetics;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvgXe-3RJeU;License: CC-BY