Summary:
- Regulation of gene expression is extremely important during the development of an organism.
- Regulatory proteins must turn on certain genes in particular cells at just the right time so the organism develops normal organs and organ systems.
- Homeobox genes are an example of genes that regulate development.
- They code for regulatory proteins that switch on whole series of major developmental genes.
- In insects, homeobbox genes called hox genes ensure that body parts such as limbs develop in the correct place.
- A mutation in a hox gene can affect an insect’s development.