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Updated: Aug 3, 2025
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Determining the Role of Maternally-Expressed Genes in Early Development with Maternal Crispants
Published on: December 21, 2021
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Maternal patterns of inheritance alter transcript expression in eggs.
Nathan D Harry1, Christina Zakas2
1Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, 112 Derieux Place, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA.
BMC Genomics
|April 10, 2023
Summary
Maternal mRNA provisioning to eggs varies significantly, influencing early development and evolution. Both parental and allelic effects contribute to these gene expression differences, revealing intergenerational impacts on offspring development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Early development is controlled by maternal factors like messenger RNAs (mRNAs) within eggs.
- Variations in maternal mRNA provisioning can drive evolutionary changes in development.
- The extent of maternal mRNA variation in eggs is largely uncharacterized across species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the variation in maternal mRNA provisioning in eggs of a species with dimorphic development.
- To understand how maternal genotype and parental effects influence mRNA expression in eggs.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of gene expression in eggs from a species exhibiting dimorphic development (different egg/larval sizes).
- Separation of parental effects from allelic effects on mRNA expression.
- Examination of intraspecific crosses to identify parental effects on egg provisioning.
Main Results:
- Significant qualitative and quantitative differences in mRNA expression were observed across eggs of different developmental modes.
- Both parental and allelic factors contribute to variations in mRNA expression.
- Parental effects on egg provisioning were demonstrated, dependent on cross direction, impacting oogenesis.
Conclusions:
- Maternally controlled development initiation differs functionally between eggs of varying sizes and maternal genotypes.
- Allele-specific and parent-of-origin effects are key contributors to gene expression diversity in eggs.
- Parent-of-origin effects highlight an intergenerational genetic influence on egg gene expression.
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