The homeobox genes are a large and diverse group of genes, many of which play important roles in the embryonic development of animals. Increasingly, homeobox genes are being compared between genomes in an attempt to understand the evolution of animal development.
Citation: Ying-Fu Zhong, Thomas Butts and Peter W H Holland (2008) HomeoDB: a database of homeobox gene diversity. Evolution & Development. 10:5, 516-518.
Acknowledgement:
The human picture is by Leonardo da Vinci (Vitruvian Man, 1492).
The Amphioxus picture is courtesy of Dr. Dale Stokes.
The Drosophila picture is courtesy of Dr. Helen White-Cooper.
