In both invertebrates and vertebrates, a set of homeobox genes is involved
in the primary pattern formation along the anterior-posterior axis of the d
eveloping organism. In particular, the genes of the Hox/HOM complex are loc
ated in a physical order in the 3' to 5' direction of the gene clusters. Fu
rthermore, the vertebrate genes of the Horn and Herd clusters are expressed
following the empirical rules of temporal and spatial collinearities: the
genes are expressed one after the other according to their positional order
and their domains of expression start anteriorly and move gradually toward
s more posterior locations along the developmental axis. The mechanism that
controls this remarkable expression behaviour remains elusive. A proposed
morphogen gradient model could justify the serial gene expression in space
and time during vertebrate limb development. It is therefore likely that a
morphogen concentration ordering might cause the sequential gene expression
. I put forward this hypothesis and explore some possibilities that concent
ration-dependent physical forces might push the Hoxa,d clusters to an envir
onment where the transcriptional activity of the genes is possible. The sug
gested mechanisms offer satisfactory concentration resolution for different
ial gene expression. Some experiments are proposed to test the presence of
such forces. The verification of this hypothesis would provide a solution t
o the interpretation problem of the positional information theory in develo
pment. Furthermore, it would broaden our knowledge of how gene transcriptio
n can be triggered. (C) 2001 Society for Mathematical Biology.