Homeobox Protein C12 (HOXC12)

HOXC12 belongs to the homeobox family of genes. The homeobox genes encode a highly conserved family of transcription factors that play an important role in morphogenesis in all multicellular organisms. Mammals possess four similar homeobox gene clusters, HOXA, HOXB, HOXC and HOXD, which are located on different chromosomes and consist of 9 to 11 genes arranged in tandem.

This gene is one of several homeobox HOXC genes located in a cluster on chromosome 12.3 homeobox sequences on chromosome 12 represent a single transcription unit. Primary transcripts are alternatively processed to give mature messages with a common 5-prime noncoding exon encoding different proteins containing 1 of the 3 homeodomains.