Is There A Realtime Molecular Clock Within The Genome To Co-Ordinate The Developmental Sequences In An Embryo?

Question

[rammanohardr]

Hi! It is difficult to assume that the massive number of co-ordinated developmental sequences in a developing embryo is controlled by molecular signalling alone. Is anyone aware of a molecular or developmental clock within the genome which control the on off states of the genes concerned with developmental sequences? If it has not been reported is it likely to exist? (This is not about the molecular clock in evolution). Thanks in advance, Ram Manohar M

Assuming there is a molecular clock, is it possible that the clock is switched on at the time of fertilization, and the zygote transfers the elapsed time to the progressive generations of the cells?

[KCC]

Hi rammanohardr. Welcome to Biostars! We focus on bioinformatics methodology. Your question sounds like a purely biological question and seems to be off topic here. Luckily, there is a very similar question-and-answer site for biological questions: http://biology.stackexchange.com/

[Giovanni M Dall'Olio]

Note that the expression "molecular clock" is usually used in an evolutionary sense, so it may be different from what the way you are using here. The existence of a molecular clock was postulated by Pauling and Zuckerckland in the '70s, posing that the globin protein accumulates mutations under a constant rate during evolution.

[Michael]

Giovanni is right, the use of the term is incorrect. You might want to look for 'developmental proteins' instead http://www.ebi.ac.uk/QuickGO/GTerm?id=GO:0007275. Certainly there is not a developmental timer but very many, you can in principle take into account all terms annotated with that GO term.

Also, "real-time" has no meaning in this context, or are you referring to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_clock ?

[rammanohardr]

Michael, thanks for the response. The circardian rhythm is too slow for temporal refernce control of the fast paced developmental process in an embryo.

[rammanohardr]

Thanks a lot for the comment Giovanni. I did mention that it is not the molecular clock in evolution in brackets.I guess I probably should have used the term runtime clock. Will that be acceptable? The point is can there be one?

[Gjain]

Closing it as off topic. Please read George`s explanation.

[rammanohardr]

Thanks Gjain, I have already posted the question in the site suggested by George. Thanks to you and George.