Magic embryology: independent early cells (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 17:16 (1013 days ago) @ David Turell

They start producing proteins very quickly:

https://phys.org/news/2022-02-embryo-cells-gain-independence.html

"It happens in the first hours after fertilization: The cells of the early embryo begin to independently produce proteins, the building blocks for cells and organs. Their own, uniquely composed genetic material serves as the blueprint. In vertebrates, the starting signal for this process comes from three maternal proteins that bind to the DNA of the offspring.

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"'We have shown how the proteins Pou5f3 and Sox19b function at different time points in embryonic development and in different areas of the embryo," says the biologist of the study's integrative approach.

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"They induced mutations in the genes for Pou5f3 and Sox19b so that the fish would no longer produce these regulatory proteins. In this way, they succeeded in demonstrating that the two proteins have independent tasks. However, they both act on the DNA by binding to gene regulatory regions and making the genes freely accessible to the cellular machinery.

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"In addition, the team discovered that Pou5f3 and Sox19b suppress late genetic programs. "They keep important processes in sleep mode so that they do not start until later, when the appropriate step in development approaches," describes Onichtchouk. "This concerns the genes responsible for the development of the organs." However, Pou5f3 and Sox19b appear to be the determining factors for the activation of the genes only on the ventral side of the embryo. On the dorsal side, they are ineffective. Onichtchouk wants to determine the reason for this: "We are curious to find out what takes over this function here and whether these proteins also originate from the mother.'"

Comment: very precise timed actions controlled by genes. Embryology shows the automaticity of living biochemistry.