Definition of homeosis in English:
homeosis
(British homoeosis)
nounPlural homeosesˌhɒmɪˈəʊsɪsˌhōmēˈōsəs
Biology The replacement of part of one segment of an insect or other segmented animal by a structure characteristic of a different segment, especially through mutation.
Example sentencesExamples
- He used examples such as environmental sex determination and homeosis as possible examples.
- Even when the case for a pattern of homeosis is more firmly established, the underlying mechanism responsible for the pattern is not easily accessible.
- However, those experiments show only what morphological changes are possible to manipulate experimentally, not what actually happened in evolution, and one question is why homeosis would occur at all.
- This research on homeosis was intended to support both his view of genetic structure and his view of evolution.
- Genes identified by such mutations are called homeotic genes because when mutated they result in homeosis - the transformation of a whole segment or structure into another related one, as in the transformation of antenna to leg.
Derivatives
adjective
Biology Sundberg interpreted many aspects of trilobite evolution in terms of homeotic change.
Example sentencesExamples
- Thus major changes in body plan are possible over very short time intervals when homeotic, regulatory genes are involved.
- These genes encode proteins that are involved in regulating the expression of homeotic genes by changing chromatin structure.
- The evolution of homeotic mutants, according to Simpson, still depended on selection acting on populations of individuals.
- Several genes involved in the regulation of chromatin structure were identified as regulators of homeotic gene complexes.
- For example, it is becoming clear that co-option has played a critical role in evolution and the homeotic genes are not exempt in this regard.
Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek homoiōsis 'becoming like', from homoios 'like'.