HOX Pro: a specialized database for clusters and networks of homeobox genes

It is now clear that the homeobox motif is well conserved across metazoan p hyla. It has been established experimentally that a subset of genes contain ing this motif plays key roles in the orchestration of gene expression duri ng: development, Auto- and cross-regulatory functional interactions join ho meobox genes into genetic networks, We have developed a specialized databas e HOX-Pro in order to arrange all available data on structure, function, ph ylogeny and evolution of Hox genes, Hox clusters and Hox networks. Its prim ary location is http://www.iephb.nw.ru/hoxpro,The database is also mirrored at http://www.mssm.edu/molbio/hoxpro. The HOX-Pro database is aimed at: (i ) analysis and classification of regulatory and coding regions in diverse h omeobox and related genes; (ii) comparative analysis of organization of 'Ho x-based' genetic networks in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the mouse Mus musculus; and (iii) analysis of phylogeny and evolution of homeobox genes and clusters.