Hox and Wnt pattern the primary body axis of an anthozoan cnidarian before gastrulation

<i>Hox</i> gene transcription factors are important regulators of positional identity along the anterior-posterior axis in bilaterian animals. Cnidarians (e.g. sea anemones, corals and hydroids) are the sister group to the Bilateria and possess genes related to both anterior and central/posterior class <i>Hox</i> genes. We explore the relationship of two opposing <i>Hox</i> genes in the cnidarian, <i>Nematostella vectenesis</i>. This study identifies and ancient link between Hox/Wnt patterning during axis formation and suggests that the primary axis is patterned during blastula formation in anthozoan cnidarians.

Hox基因（Hox）转录因子是两侧对称动物沿前后轴建立位置同一性的关键调控因子。刺胞动物（Cnidaria，例如海葵、珊瑚及水螅虫类）是两侧对称动物的姊妹群，其基因组中存在与前部、中部/后部类Hox基因相关的同源基因。本研究以刺胞动物Nematostella vectenesis（星状海葵）为研究对象，探究了两种拮抗型Hox基因之间的调控关系。本研究鉴定出轴形成过程中Hox与Wnt信号通路模式调控之间的古老关联，并揭示出刺胞动物花虫纲类群的原轴模式建立发生于囊胚形成阶段。