Expression of mouse dchs1, fjx1, and fat-j suggests conservation of the planar cell polarity pathway identified in Drosophila.

The dachsous (ds), fat (ft), and four-jointed (fj) genes have been identified in Drosophila as part of a signaling pathway that regulates planar cell polarity (PCP). A homologous PCP signaling pathway has also been identified in vertebrates, but nothing is known thus far about the conservation of Ds/Ft/Fj signaling. Here we analyzed and compared for the first time the expression patterns of all ds, ft and fj homologs in the mouse.

Transposable elements as a source of genetic innovation: expression and evolution of a family of retrotransposon-derived neogenes in mammals.

A family of functional neogenes called Mart, related to the gag gene of Sushi-like long terminal repeat retrotransposons from fish and amphibians, is present in the genome of human (11 genes) and other primates, as well as in mouse (11 genes), rat, dog (12 genes), cat, and cow. Mart genes have lost their capacity of retrotransposition through non-functionalizing rearrangements having principally affected long terminal repeats and pol open reading frame. Most Mart genes are located on the X chromosome in different mammals.