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Birth and upgrowth of the Hox topological domains during evolution

Nature Genetics volume 48, pages 227–228 (2016)Cite this article

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The recently discovered chromatin compartments called topologically associating domains (TADs) are essential for the three-dimensional organization of regulatory interactions driving gene expression. A new study documents the emergence of a TAD flanking the amphioxus Hox cluster, prefiguring the vertebrate anterior Hox TAD and preceding the appearance of the concurring posterior Hox TAD.

The last few years have witnessed spectacular progress in the elucidation of the three-dimensional organization of the vertebrate genome and its impact on gene expression1,2. In particular, genes controlling embryonic development were found to be regulated by sets of remote cis-acting elements heavily interacting with each other and with gene promoters within TADs3. In this issue, José Luis Gómez-Skarmeta and colleagues4 add a new dimension to this research field by reconstructing how such TADs arose during evolution.

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Figure 1: Schematic phylogenetic tree of bilaterian evolution showing the position of chordates, including the cephalochordate amphioxus.

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  1. Hubrecht Institute, Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research, Utrecht, the Netherlands

    Jacqueline Deschamps

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  1. Jacqueline Deschamps
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Correspondence to Jacqueline Deschamps.

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The author declares no competing financial interests.

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Deschamps, J. Birth and upgrowth of the Hox topological domains during evolution. Nat Genet 48, 227–228 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.3514

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