The Hox proteins play a role in development and cellular differentiation by regulating downstream target genes. Specifically, the Hox proteins direct DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions that assist in determining the morphologic features associated with the anterior-posterior body axis. The mammalian HOX gene complex consists of 39 genes that are located on four linkage groups, which are dispersed over four chromosomes. HOX genes that occupy the same relative position along the 5’ t