title: Maternal cyclin B levels "Chk" the onset of DNA replication checkpoint control in Drosophila.
abstract: In many animals, early development of the embryo is characterized by synchronous, biphasic cell divisions. These cell divisions are controlled by maternally inherited proteins and RNAs. A critical question in developmental biology is how the embryo transitions to a later pattern of asynchronous cell divisions and transfers the prior maternal control of development to the zygotic genome. The most-common model regarding how this transition from maternal to zygotic control is regulated posits that this is a consequence of the limitation of maternal gene products, due to their titration during early cell divisions. Here we discuss a recent article by Crest et al.1 that instead proposes that the balance of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 and Cyclin B (Cdk1-CycB) activity relative to that of the Drosophila checkpoint kinase Chk1 determines when asynchronous divisions begin.
authors: Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors: Dhananjay
authors: D
authors: Yellajoshyula
authors: Ethan S
authors: ES
authors: Patterson
authors: Kristen L
authors: KL
authors: Kroll
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D019926:Cyclin B / Q000378:metabolism*; D056744:Cyclin B1; D004261:DNA Replication; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005260:Female; D008954:Models, Biological; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019926:Cyclin B; D056744:Cyclin B1; D011494:Protein Kinases; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase