HOX genes

Alright so on the post describing that stem cell research is an application of genetic research someone outside of the class commented. Now what stirred my mind was not the contents of the post, but the name they used 'Apoptosis Detection.'

Apoptosis is controlled cell death seen in old aging cells and in embryonic development(specifically the separation of the fingers). When I remembered that I realized that I know enough about the HOX genes that I could give a small description of embryonic development.

The HOX genes control what grows where in a developing embryo. Basically that means that they chose what cells become the head, the arms, the legs, the digestive tract, etc.

These genes have been looked at in fruit flies. Wherein if the HOX genes are manipulated correctly then the resulting fly can have instead of two antennae it will have two more legs where the antennae should be.

With the knowledge of how complex the HOX are it seems improbable that if someone falls into a vat of radioactive material that they'll come out with extra limbs.

Now something that genetic research has provided to advance our knowledge in science. In 1996, researchers sequenced the genome of the microorganism Methanococcus jannaschii. This sequence confirmed the existence of a third main branch of life on earth, Archea, and when we made this realization the species classification changed from the five kingdom system to the three domain system.