PROSITE documentation PDOC00032

{PDOC00032}
{PS00032; ANTENNAPEDIA}
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* 'Homeobox' antennapedia-type protein signature *
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The homeotic  Hox  proteins  are sequence-specific transcription factors. They
are part  of  a  developmental  regulatory  system  that  provides  cells with
specific  positional identities on the anterior-posterior (A-P) axis [1].  The
hox proteins  contain  a  'homeobox'  domain. In Drosophila and other insects,
there are eight different Hox genes  that  are  encoded in two gene complexes,
ANT-C and BX-C. In vertebrates there are 38 genes organized in four complexes.

In six of the eight Drosophila Hox genes the homeobox domain is highly similar
and a  conserved hexapeptide  is found five to sixteen amino acids upstream of
the homeobox domain. The six Drosophila proteins that belong to this group are
antennapedia (Antp),  abdominal-A (abd-A), deformed (Dfd), proboscipedia (pb),
sex combs reduced (scr)  and ultrabithorax (ubx) and are collectively known as
the 'antennapedia' subfamily.

In vertebrates  the  corresponding  Hox genes are known [2] as Hox-A2, A3, A4,
A5, A6,  A7,  Hox-B1,  B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, Hox-C4, C5, C6, C8, Hox-D1,
D3, D4 and D8.

Caenorhabditis elegans lin-39 and mab-5 are also members of the 'antennapedia'
subfamily.

As a signature pattern  for this subfamily of  homeobox proteins, we have used
the conserved hexapeptide.

-Consensus pattern: [LIVMFE]-[FY]-P-W-M-[KRQTA]
-Sequences known to belong to this class detected by the pattern: ALL,  except
 for 6 sequences.
-Other sequence(s) detected in Swiss-Prot: 3.

-Note: Arg  and  Lys  are  most  frequently  found in the last position of the
 hexapeptide; other amino acids are found in only a few cases.

-Last update: June 1994 / Text revised.

[ 1] McGinnis W., Krumlauf R.
     "Homeobox genes and axial patterning."
     Cell 68:283-302(1992).
     PubMed=1346368
[ 2] Scott M.P.
     "Vertebrate homeobox gene nomenclature."
     Cell 71:551-553(1992).
     PubMed=1358459

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