Structure and Expression of the Ovine Hoxc-13 Gene

The study focused on the ovine Hoxc-13 gene, which played a crucial role in hair formation by regulating keratin differentiation-specific genes. Researchers isolated and characterized the Hoxc-13 gene from sheep wool follicles, finding its structure similar to other Abd-B type I Homeobox genes, with two exons separated by a large intron. The ovine Hoxc-13 protein showed over 97% sequence identity with human and mouse proteins. A novel transcript was identified, potentially producing a truncated protein. The study suggested that Hoxc-13 expression might be autoregulatory and a downstream target of transcription factors like LEF-1 and Whn/Foxn1, which are known to regulate hair growth. Hoxc-13 was expressed not only in hair follicles but also in other skin areas, indicating potential additional roles in skin function.