6.1.1 body plans

Question 1

what are homeotic genes?

Answer 1

set of genes that regulate morphogenesis (the shape that an organism forms)

Question 2

what are homeobox genes?

Answer 2

subset of homeotic genes. set of genes that contain a homeobox sequence, which is an 180 base pair sequence, which encodes a 60 amino acid sequence called a homeodomain sequence within a protein

Question 3

what are hox genes?

Answer 3

subsect of homeobox genes found in animals.
- control polarity and where organs are
- genes show little mutation becuase they are very important and highly conserved
- mutations would have great effect and alter the body plan causing many other genes to be affected
- any mutation is likely to be lethal and so is selected against