MALFORMATION OF TRACHEA AND PELVIC REGION IN GOOSECOID MUTANT MICE

The homeobox gene goosecoid is expressed in the Spemann organizer tiss ue of gastrulating vertebrate embryos, and in the craniofacial region and appendicular skeleton during organogenesis, The goosecoid knockout mutant mouse revealed defects related to the second phase of expressi on. Here we describe new expression sites in the developing trachea an d external genitalia, and in the developing shoulder and hip joint wit h their associated ligaments and muscles, We show that mutant mice dis play abnormalities in the forming trachea and appendicular skeleton re lated to these sites of gene expression, In addition, we discuss evide nce for the existence of at least three goosecoid genes in vertebrates , which may account for the lack of a defect of axial patterning in go osecoid mutant mice. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.