Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

The Multiple Roles of Temporal Collinearity in Hox Gene Clustering for Vertebrates, Invertebrates, Complete and Split Hox Clusters

Version 1 : Received: 30 November 2023 / Approved: 30 November 2023 / Online: 1 December 2023 (03:12:17 CET)

How to cite: Papageorgiou, S. The Multiple Roles of Temporal Collinearity in Hox Gene Clustering for Vertebrates, Invertebrates, Complete and Split Hox Clusters. Preprints 2023, 2023111987. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1987.v1 Papageorgiou, S. The Multiple Roles of Temporal Collinearity in Hox Gene Clustering for Vertebrates, Invertebrates, Complete and Split Hox Clusters. Preprints 2023, 2023111987. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1987.v1

Abstract

Hox gene clusters are crucial in Embryogenesis. It was observed that some Hox genes are located in order along the telomeric to centromeric direction of the DNA sequence: Hox1, Hox2, Hox3…. These genes are expressed in the same order in the ontogenetic units of the Drosophila embryo along the Anterior-Posterior axis. The two entities (genome and embryo) differ significantly in linear size and in-between distance. This strange phenomenon was named Spatial Collinearity (SP). Later, it was observed that, particularly in the Vertebrates, a Temporal Collinearity (TC) coexists: first is Hox1 expressed, later Hox2 and even later Hox3,…,. According to a Biophysical Model (BM), pulling forces act at the anterior end of the cluster while a cluster fastening applies at the posterior end. Hox clusters are irreversibly elongated along the force direction. During Evolution, the elongated Hox clusters are broken at variable lengths thus split clusters may be created. An Empirical Rule was formulated distinguishing development due to a complete Hox cluster from development due to split Hox clusters. BM can ‘explain’ this Empirical Rule. In a spontaneous mutation where the cluster fastening is dismantled, a minimal pulling force can automatically shift the cluster inside the Hox activation domain. This cluster translocation can probably explain the absence of Temporal Collinearity in Drosophila.

Keywords

Hox gene collinearity; temporal collinearity; Noether Theory; self similarity; double strand break; split Hox clusters; chicken limb growth
 

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Cell and Developmental Biology

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