Maternal effect genes
A) begin setting up positional axes in the egg prior to fertilization.
B) are the same as segmentation genes.
C) are masked by paternal genes.
D) operate late in the gene cascade regulating development of Drosophila embryos.
E) determine cell fate within each segment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Maternal effect genes are responsible for providing the necessary cytoplasmic determinants to the developing egg. These determinants begin setting up the positional axes within the egg prior to fertilization, which is critical for proper development of the embryo. This is in contrast to segmentation genes, which are responsible for dividing the embryo into distinct segments during development. Maternal effect genes are not masked by paternal genes, and they operate early in the gene cascade regulating development. They do not determine cell fate within each segment.

Maternal Effect Genes