homeobox gene vs homeobox

homeobox gene and homeobox both are nouns.

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

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

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

homeobox gene (noun)	homeobox (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