Comparative analysis of genes that regulate fundamental developmental processes.

The number of orthologous sequences for D. melanogaster genes that regulate the processes of axis formation, segmentation, segmental patterning (Hox genes), germline specification, neurogenesis, and apoptosis are indicated for each of the three mosquito species. Although genes regulating these fundamental developmental processes are generally very well conserved, changes in the number of orthologous sequences for several genes implicated in these processes were observed in mosquitoes. Results are reported only for cases in which the number of orthologous sequences varies between D. melanogaster and at least one of the mosquito species. Reported numbers refer to the number of orthologous sequences present in the three mosquito genomes for each D. melanogaster gene indicated at left.