They include the aforementioned Dnaaf1, the deletion of which causes a scoliosis phenotype in zebrafish34; Hoxa1, a homeobox gene essential for the development of head and neck structures, including hindbrain, ear, and occipital and hyoid bones41,42; Mesp1, a transcription factor involved in mesoderm specification, somite boundary formation, and somite polarity regulation43,44; and Tnfrsf14, a receptor for Tnfsf14. Here, HOXA1 is linked to scoliosis.