Homeobox Protein D8 (HOXD8)

HOXD8 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, located on different chromosomes, consisting of 9 to 11 genes arranged in tandem. HOXD8is one of several homeobox HOXD genes located in a cluster on chromosome 2. Deletions that remove the entire HOXD gene cluster or the 5' end of this cluster have been associated with severe limb and genital abnormalities. Cell culture experiments demonstrated downregulation of HOXB8, HOXC8, HOXD8, and HOXA7 and supported the cleavage mechanism for miR196-directed repression of HOXB8.