Null mutation of Dlx-2 results in abnormal morphogenesis of proximal first and second branchial arch derivatives and abnormal differentiation in the forebrain.
Year: 1995
Type: preprint
Abstract: Genetic analysis of the development and evolution of the vertebrate head is at a primitive stage. Many homeo box genes, including the Distal-less family, are potential regulators of head development. To determine the function of Dlx-2, we generated a null mutation in mice using gene targeting. In homozygous mutants, differentiation within the forebrain is abnormal and the fate of a subset of cranial neural crest cells is respecified. The latter causes abnormal morphogenesis of the skeletal elements derived from the proximal parts of the first and second branchial arches. We hypothesize that the affected skull bones from the first arch have undergone a transformation into structures similar to those found in reptiles. These results show that Dlx-2 controls development of the branchial arches and the forebrain and suggests its role in craniofacial evolution.
Source: Genes & Development
Institution: University of California, San Francisco
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, March of Dimes Foundation, Pfizer, John Merck Fund, National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, National Institutes of Health, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, National Institute of Mental Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
OpenAlex ID: W2096060803