The Hox genes are an evolutionarily ancient family of transcription factors critical for proper embryonic development and pattern formation in all animals, including humans. Despite the importance of Hox genes our understanding of the way in which these genes coordinate the expression of large batteries of target genes and thereby control development, is unclear. In particular we do not know the cis-regulatory requirements for Hox gene regulation. We do not know what kind of Hox binding sites a Hox target enhancer requires to be Hox responsive, nor do we know what the topology of these binding sites must be relative to the other regulatory inputs to the enhancer. This proposal is designed to use synthetically modified enhancers to determine the numerical and topological cis-regulatory requirements for target gene regulation by the Hox gene Ultrabithorax. In so doing it should increase our understanding of the way in which the fundamentally important Hox gene family controls embryonic development and may shed light on the general principles of transcriptional regulation, the control of large genetic regulatory networks, and the evolution of genetic regulatory networks over time.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
1F32HD041314-01
Application #
6405116
Study Section
Cell Development and Function Integrated Review Group (CDF)
Program Officer
Moody, Sally Ann
Project Start
2001-10-01
Project End
Budget Start
2001-10-01
Budget End
2002-09-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$41,996
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
Nelson, Craig E; Hersh, Bradley M; Carroll, Sean B (2004) The regulatory content of intergenic DNA shapes genome architecture. Genome Biol 5:R25