411 1A + Ascidians Case Study

What does gene expression control have to do with how cells adopt different fates? and signaling pathways

Gene expression control determines cell fate by selecting which specific genes are turned on or off, dictating a cell's type and function

• Signaling pathways act as communication systems, receiving external cues (ligands) and transducing them into the nucleus to activate transcription factors that alter gene expression, thus instructing cells to differentiate, divide, or adopt specialized roles

What are the consequences of breaking different steps of gene expression?

Cellular dysfunction,

disruptions can occur at the level of DNA structure, transcription, RNA processing, or translation, each with specific, often detrimental, consequences

What molecules define muscle cell fate?

macho-1 mRNA encodes for a transcription factor that can regulate gene expression

• macho-1 found enriched at yellow crescent area in cell

How to visualize cell fates and lineages?

Cell fate maps: uses info (cell lineage) to go back in time to fertilized egg to break up parts that give rise to tissue/analyze differentiation

Cell lineage maps: tracks division over time AND development of specific cell types

What is significance of Zinc finger in development?

Zinc finger proteins are crucial in regulating gene expression and influencing various developmental processes, including cell differentiation and embryonic development. They act as transcription factors that bind to specific DNA sequences, thereby controlling the transcription of target genes.

• Ex. required for macho-1 to promote muscle fates