Maternal-to-zygotic Transition: Key Developmental Process

This lecture delves into the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT), a critical phase in early embryonic development where maternal mRNAs disappear, zygotic genome activation occurs, and the cell cycle lengthens. The instructor explains the regulation of MZT timing, the role of cyclin/Cdk complexes in mitosis, and the importance of the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio. Various experiments and evidence are presented to illustrate the mechanisms behind MZT, including the titration of maternal factors and the impact of DNA content variations. The lecture highlights the significance of factors like histones H3 and H4 in MZT and their role in gene expression.