Table Of ContentTHE BIOCHEMISTRY OF ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT
Volume I Descriptive Biochemistry of Animal Development
Volume II Biochemical Control Mechanisms and
Adaptations in Development
Volume III Molecular Aspects of Animal Development
THE BIOCHEMISTRY
OF ANIMAL
DEVELOPMENT
Edited by RUDOLF WEBER
ZOOLOGISCHES INSTITUT
BERN, SWITZERLAND
Volume III
Molecular Aspects of Animal Development
1975
ACADEMIC PRESS New York San Francisco London
A Subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers
COPYRIGHT © 1975, BY ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.
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United Kingdom Edition published by
ACADEMIC PRESS, INC. (LONDON) LTD.
24/28 Oval Road, London NW1
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Weber, Rudolf, Date ed.
The biochemistry of animal development.
Vol. 1 has also special title: Descriptive bio
chemistry of animal development; v. 2 has also special
title: Biochemical control mechanisms and adaptations
in development.
Includes bibliographies.
1. Chemical embryology. 2. Biological control
systems. I. Title. II. Title: Descriptive bio
chemistry of animal development. [DNLM: 1. Bio
chemistry. 2. Embryology. QL936 W375b]
QL963.W4 591.3'3 65-23841
ISBN 0-12-740603-4 (v. 3)
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CONTRIBUTORS TO VOLUME III
Numbers in parentheses indicate the pages on which the authors' con
tributions begin.
ROLF BASS, Abteilung Embryonal-Pharmakologie, Pharmakologisches
Institut der Freien Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany (387)
E. J. BOELL, Department of Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Con
necticut (337)
ROBERT B. CHURCH, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medi
cine, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (47)
HANS M. EPPENBERGER, Institut für Zellbiologie, Eidgenössische Tech
nische Hochschule Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (217)
CHARLES T. GREGG,1 Abteilung Embryonal-Pharmakologie, Pharmako
logisches Institut der Freien Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
(387)
P. C. GREENFIELD, Department of Biology, Yale University, New Haven,
Connecticut (337)
BRIGID L. M. HOGAN,2 Biochemistry Group, School of Biological Sciences,
University of Sussex, Sussex, England (183)
NORMAN W. KLEIN, Department of Animal Genetics, University of
Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut (293)
JOHN KNOWLAND, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular
Biology, Cambridge, England (145)
CHARLES DANIEL LANE, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Mole
cular Biology, Cambridge, England (145)
HANS-JOACHIM MERKER, Abteilung Embryonal-Pharmakologie, Pharma
kologisches Institut der Freien Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
(387)
DIETHER NEUBERT, Abteilung Embryonal-Pharmakologie, Pharmakolo
gisches Institut der Freien Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany (387)
Present address: The University of California's Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory,
Los Alamos, New Mexico.
2 Present address: Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Burtonhole Lane, Mill Hill,
London.
ix
X CONTRIBUTORS TO VOLUME III
GILBERT A. SCHULTZ, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medi
cine, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (47)
L. DENNIS SMITH, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, Indiana (1)
HEINZ TIEDEMANN, Institut für Molekularbiologie und Biochemie der
Freien Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
HEINZ TOBLER, Zoologisches Institut, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg,
Switzerland, (91)
PREFACE
The reception given the previous volumes of "Biochemistry of Animal
Development" indicated that this treatise filled a real need. Despite many
requests for a revised edition we felt it might be more appropriate to
end this treatise with a volume illustrating the impact of molecular biology
on the study of development.
This volume traces recent advances in the molecular approach to
vertebrate development with particular emphasis on the functions of
nucleic acids. The topics—all reviewed by leading investigators—deal
with oocyte maturation, transcriptional patterns in early development, the
post-transcriptional control of gene expression, and the significance of
gene amplification. Other contributions are concerned with morphogenetic
substances, growth-promoting proteins, and the functional differentiation
of mitochondria in embryonic systems.
The coverage is such as to provide graduate students and investi
gators with an up-to-date survey on the recent progress of molecular
embryology, and thus should help promote further work in this rapidly
expanding field.
I am most grateful to all the contributors for their effort in preparing
this volume.
RUDOLF WEBER
CONTENTS OF PREVIOUS VOLUMES
Volume I
INTRODUCTION. The History of Chemical Embryology
J. BRÄCHET
PART I. Biochemistry of Germ Cells and Fertilization
Chemical Constitution and Metabolic Activities of Animal Eggs
J. WILLIAMS
Biochemical Aspects of Fertilization
ALBERTO MONROY
PART II. Biochemical Patterns in Embryos
Morphogenetic Significance of Biochemical Patterns in Sea Urchin
Embryos
TRYGGVE GUSTAFSON
Morphogenetic Significance of Biochemical Patterns in Mosaic Embryos
J. R. COLLIER
Biochemical Patterns in Early Developmental Stages of Vertebrates
E. M. DEUCHAR
PART III. General Biochemistry of Development
Enzyme Development in Relation to Functional Differentiation
FLORENCE MOOG
xiii
XIV CONTENTS OF PREVIOUS VOLUMES
Development of Nonenzymatic Proteins in Relation to Functional
Differentiation
J. B. SOLOMON
Biochemical Mechanism of Information Transfer
MATTHYS STAEHELIN
Informational Molecules and Embryonic Development
PHILIP GRANT
Author Index—Index to Genus and Species Names—Subject Index
Volume II
PART I. Biochemical Control Mechanisms in Developmental Processes
Biochemical Aspects of Primary Induction and Determination
HEINZ TIEDEMANN
Metabolic Control of Growth and Differentiation in Vertebrate Embryos
JOHN PAPACONSTANTINOU
Biochemistry of Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Interactions in Morphogenesis
P. S. CHEN
Biochemistry of Sex Differentiation in Vertebrate Embryos
EMIL WITSCHI
Biochemistry of Amphibian Metamorphosis
RUDOLF WEBER
Biochemical Aspects of Regeneration
R. A. FLICKINGER
PART II. Biochemical Adaptations in Embryonic Development
Yolk Utilization
J. WILLIAMS
CONTENTS OF PREVIOUS VOLUMES XV
Biochemical Aspects of the Mammalian Placenta
C. A. VILLEE
Patterns of Nitrogen Metabolism and Excretion in Some Vertebrate
Embryos
JAMES R. FISHER
Author Index—Index to Genus and Species Names—Subject Index
MOLECULAR EVENTS DURING OOCYTE
MATURATION
L. DENNIS SMITH
Department of Biological Sciences
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
I. Introduction 1
II. The Induction of Maturation 3
III. Morphological Events of Maturation and Their Relationship to
Early Development 5
A. Breakdown of the Oocyte Nucleus (Germinal Vesicle) 5
B. Contribution of GV Contents to Postfertilization Develop
ment 6
IV. Macromolecular Synthesis during Maturation 13
A. RNA Synthesis 13
B. Protein Synthesis during Oogenesis and Maturation 19
V. Characterization of Hormone-Oocyte Interactions in the Induc
tion of Maturation 27
A. Identification of the Hormones that Induce Maturation 27
B. The Initial Steroid-Oocyte Interactions 29
C. The Question of Steroid Receptors in Amphibian Oocytes .. 31
D. Metabolism of Progesterone 34
E. Intracellular Appearance of an Inducer of Maturation 36
F. Mechanism of Hormone Action 39
VI. Concluding Comments 40
References 42
I. Introduction
It is well known that oocytes must reach a certain state of physiologi
cal maturity before they can be fertilized. This does not necessarily
coincide with completion of the maturation (meiotic) divisions. In most
1 Original research was supported by grants from the USPHS (HD 04229)
and the NSF (GB 8741), and a USPHS Research Career Development Award
(HD 42549).
1
