Table of contents

1. Introduction to Genetics51m
2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
8. DNA Replication1h 10m
9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
10. Transcription1h 0m
11. Translation58m
12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
14. Genetic Control of Development44m
15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
16. Transposable Elements47m
17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- Genetic Cloning
  9m
- Methods for Analyzing DNA
  9m
19. Cancer Genetics29m
- Overview of Cancer
  21m
- Cancer Mutations
  7m
20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
21. Population Genetics50m
- Hardy Weinberg
  19m
- Allelic Frequency Changes
  31m
22. Evolutionary Genetics29m

14. Genetic Control of Development

Developmental Patterning Genes

Genetics

14. Genetic Control of Development

Developmental Patterning Genes

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0:39 minutes

Problem 6c

Textbook Question

What aspects of development do maternal-effect genes control?

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Maternal-effect genes are genes whose mRNA or protein products are deposited in the egg by the mother before fertilization. These products are crucial for early embryonic development.

These genes control the establishment of the body axes in the developing embryo, such as the anterior-posterior axis and the dorsal-ventral axis.

The mRNA or proteins encoded by maternal-effect genes are distributed asymmetrically in the egg, creating gradients that provide spatial information to the embryo.

These gradients influence the expression of zygotic genes, which further refine the developmental processes and establish specific body structures.

Examples of maternal-effect genes include *bicoid* and *nanos* in Drosophila, which are critical for anterior-posterior axis formation.

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Key Concepts

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Maternal-Effect Genes

Maternal-effect genes are genes expressed in the mother that produce mRNA or proteins, which are then deposited into the oocyte (egg) during oogenesis. These maternal products influence the early development of the embryo, affecting processes such as cell division, axis formation, and the establishment of body plans.

Embryonic Development

Embryonic development refers to the series of stages that an embryo undergoes from fertilization to the formation of a fully developed organism. Maternal-effect genes play a crucial role in this process by regulating the initial cellular environment and signaling pathways that guide the embryo's growth and differentiation.

Gene Regulation

Gene regulation involves the mechanisms that control the expression of genes, determining when and how much of a gene product is made. In the context of maternal-effect genes, the regulation of these genes is vital for ensuring that the right proteins and RNAs are available at the correct stages of development, influencing the overall developmental trajectory of the embryo.

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Textbook Question

Consider the even-skipped regulatory sequences in Figure 18.9.

Explain what you expect to see happen to even-skipped stripe 2 if it is expressed in a Krüppel mutant background. What about a hunchback mutant background? A giant mutant background? A bicoid mutant background?

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Textbook Question

Consider the even-skipped regulatory sequences in Figure 18.9.

Consider the binding sites for gap proteins and Bicoid in the stripe 2 enhancer module. What sites are occupied in parasegments 2, 3, and 4, and how does this result in expression or no expression?

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Textbook Question

Consider the even-skipped regulatory sequences in the following figure:

How are the sharp boundaries of expression of Eve Stripe 2 formed?

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Textbook Question

What is the phenotype of maternal-effect mutations?

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Textbook Question

When are gene products from these genes made, and where are they located?

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Textbook Question

What are maternal-effect genes?

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Textbook Question

Why do loss-of-function mutations in Hox genes usually result in embryo lethality, whereas gain-of-function mutants can be viable? Why are flies homozygous for the recessive loss-of-function alleles and viable?

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Textbook Question

What is the phenotype associated with zygotic gene mutations?

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