Retention of embryonic positional identity signatures in the adult sheep tail : evidence from HOXB13 spatial RNA expression gradients

Horvat, Simon (avtor), Ellenrieder, Rebecca (avtor), Simčič, Mojca (avtor), Čater, Maša (avtor), Draksler, Urška (avtor), Krebs, Stefan (avtor), Pogorevc, Neža (avtor), Upadhyay, Maulik (avtor), Balasopoulou, Viktoria (avtor), Feist, Melanie (avtor), Friedel, Caroline C. (avtor), Medjugorac, Ivica (avtor)

Body axis patterning in vertebrates is controlled by HOX genes during embryogenesis, with their expression gradients defining spatial identity along the anterior–posterior axis. While the developmental roles of HOX genes in axial patterning are well established, it remains unclear to what extent embryonically defined anterior–posterior HOX expression patterns are retained as transcriptional signatures in adult tissues. Tail length in sheep provides a model for studying the phenotypic effects of HOX gene variants. We used Improved Jezersko–Solčava sheep, which segregate for both tail length and HOXB13 promoter variants, to examine genotype– phenotype associations. The HOXB13 genotype was the main determinant of adult tail length, acting primarily by modulating caudal vertebral number. RNA‑seq and qPCR analyses revealed a clear anterior–posterior HOXB13 expression gradient in adult tail skin and bones, consistent with retained positional patterning, with stronger distal expression in short‑tailed animals. These results provide in vivo evidence that spatially patterned HOX gene expression is retained in adulthood, consistent with residual transcriptional signatures of embryonic anterior–posterior identity.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: HOXB13, postnatal spatial gene expression, sheep tail length, skin and bone, RNAseq, positional identity
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: BF - Biotehniška fakulteta
• Status publikacije: V tisku
• Različica publikacije: Recenzirani rokopis
• Datum objave: 02.03.2026
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: [40] str., [v tisku]
• Številčenje: Vol. , issue
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180412
• UDK: 636.3:575
• ISSN pri članku: 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-42438-7
• COBISS.SI-ID: 270214403
• Datum objave v RUL: 09.03.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Scientific reports
• Skrajšan naslov: Sci. rep.
• Založnik: Nature Publishing Group
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• COBISS.SI-ID: 18727432

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno-Brez predelav 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Najbolj omejujoča licenca Creative Commons. Uporabniki lahko prenesejo in delijo delo v nekomercialne namene in ga ne smejo uporabiti za nobene druge namene.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: ovce, lastnosti zunanjosti, dolžina repa, fenotip, genetika, geni HOX

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P4-0220
• Naslov: Primerjalna genomika in genomska biodiverziteta

• Financer: Drugi - Drug financer ali več financerjev
• Številka projekta: ID-57514909
• Naslov: DAAD ID-57514909