Hox Genes
C. intestinalis is one of the animals whose full genome has been sequenced. It has a relatively small genome (about 160 Mbp) consisting of 14 pairs of chromosomes with about 16,000 genes. The draft genome analysis identified nine Hox genes, which are Ci-Hox1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, and 13. Ciona savignyi, the closest relative of Ciona intestinalis, also have the same set of Hox genes. The organization of Hox genes is only known for C. intestinalis among ascidians. The nine Hox genes are located on two chromosomes; Ci-Hox1 to 10 on one chromosome and Ci-Hox12 and 13 on another. The intergenic distances within the Ciona Hox genes are extraordinarily long. Seven Hox genes, Ci-Hox1 to 10, are distributed, spanning approximately half the length of the chromosome. From comparisons to the Hox gene expressions and locations in other species, it is likely that the ascidian genomes are under a dispersing condition.
Read more about this topic: Ciona Intestinalis
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