Rhombomeres (r) contribute to brainstem auditory nuclei during development. Hox genes are determinants of rhombomere-derived fate and neuronal connectivity. Little is known about the contribution of individual rhombomeres and their associated Hox codes to auditory sensorimotor circuitry. Here, we show that r4 contributes to functionally linked sensory and motor components, including the ventral nucleus of lateral lemniscus, posterior ventral cochlear nuclei (VCN), and motor olivocochlear neurons. Assembly of the r4-derived auditory components is involved in sound perception and depends on regulatory interactions between Hoxb1 and Hoxb2. Indeed, in Hoxb1 and Hoxb2 mutant mice the transmission of low-level auditory stimuli is lost, resulting in hearing impairments. On the other hand, Hoxa2 regulates the Rig1 axon guidance receptor and controls contralateral projections from the anterior VCN to the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body, a circuit involved in sound localization. Thus, individual rhombomeres and their associated Hox codes control the assembly of distinct functionally segregated sub-circuits in the developing auditory brainstem.

Methylation of specific lysine residues in histone tails has been proposed to function as a stable epigenetic marker that directs biological functions altering chromatin structure. Recent findings have implicated alteration in heterochromatin formation as a contributing factor in cancer development. In order to verify whether changes in the overall level of H3K4 histone methylation could be involved in oral squamous carcinoma, the levels of H3K4me1, me2 and me3 were measured in oral squamous carcinoma, leukoplakias and normal tissues. The levels of H3K4me2 and me3 were significantly different in oral squamous cell carcinoma in comparison with normal tissue: the level of H3K4me2 was increased while that of H3K4me3 decreased. No significant differences could be found between the two types of tissues in the level of H3K4me1. A similar trend was found in the leukoplakias that appeared more like the pathological than normal tissue. These results support the idea that alteration of chromatin structure could contribute to oncogenic potential.

The reaction of formaldehyde with enantiomerically pure α-N-protected amino acid hydrazides is described. The system has been investigated in different solvents, including both aqueous formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde, with the aim of simplifying the final reaction mixture. Aqueous formaldehyde in refluxing THF proved to be the best combination, affording mainly the corresponding monomeric N-methylene and 1,3,5-trisubstituted-1,3,5-hexahydrotriazine derivatives. The monomeric form was the only one present at high temperature, as evidenced by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy.Key words: amino acid hydrazides, formaldehyde, condensation reactions, monomeric N-methylene derivatives, oligomers.

gate the development of the heart during embryonic and postembryonic stages. This allowed us to identify different classes of phenotypes. These classes include defects in cell differentiation, morphological changes and physiological phenotypes.Hox genes are involved in the process of rhombomeres (r) formation and in the specification of cell identities during neurogen-