homeobox vs homeobox gene

homeobox and homeobox gene both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
homeobox	Yes	No	No	No
homeobox gene	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, homeobox and homeobox gene are synonyms defined as:

homeobox and homeobox gene: one of various similar homeotic genes that are involved in bodily segmentation during embryonic development

homeobox (noun)	homeobox gene (noun)
one of various similar homeotic genes that are involved in bodily segmentation during embryonic development	one of various similar homeotic genes that are involved in bodily segmentation during embryonic development