Iroquois homeobox factor explained

Iroquois homeobox factors are a family of homeodomain transcription factors that play a role in many developmental processes.^{[1] [2]} The loci were named for the flies carrying mutations in one of these genes, which are devoid of all bristles in the lateral part of the notum, leaving only a median stripe of bristles, similar to the Iroquois tribes which shaved all but a medial stripe of hairs on the head.^[3]

Human genes that encode Iroquois homeobox factors include:^[2]

• IrxA sub-group: IRX1, IRX2, IRX4
• IrxB sub-group: IRX3, IRX5, IRX6
• Iroquois-like gene: MKX

Notes and References

1. Gómez-Skarmeta JL, Modolell J . Iroquois genes: genomic organization and function in vertebrate neural development . Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev. . 12 . 4 . 403–8 . August 2002 . 12100884 . 10.1016/S0959-437X(02)00317-9 .
2. Kerner P, Ikmi A, Coen D, Vervoort M . Evolutionary history of the iroquois/Irx genes in metazoans . BMC Evol. Biol. . 9 . 74 . 2009 . 1 . 19368711 . 2674049 . 10.1186/1471-2148-9-74 . free . 2009BMCEE...9...74K .
3. Leyns L, Gómez-Skarmeta JL, Dambly-Chaudière C . iroquois: a prepattern gene that controls the formation of bristles on the thorax ofDrosophila . Mech. Dev. . 59 . 1 . 63–72 . September 1996 . 8892233 . 10.1016/0925-4773(96)00577-1. 8144286 . free .