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Health & Science4h 18m ago

Scientists have identified a master developmental clock in the tiny worm C. elegans, showing how two proteins, MYRF-1 and LIN-42, form a feedback circuit that precisely times gene activity needed for growth.

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Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL)

Who
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) including Professor Christopher Hammell and Director of Research Leemor Joshua-Tor, along with Peipei Wu, Jing Wang, Brett Pryor, Isabella Valentino, David F. Ritter, Kaiser Loel, Olya Yarychkivska, Shai Shaham, Justin Kinney, and Sevinc Ercan
What
Scientists have identified a master developmental clock in the tiny worm C. elegans, showing how two proteins, MYRF-1 and LIN-42, form a feedback circuit that precisely times gene activity needed for growth.
When
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 19:53:25 GMT · 4h 18m ago
Where
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) ·
Why
This discovery helps explain how cells activate key genetic programs during growth and development, coordinating the finite sequence of events essential for proper developmental progression.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

The identified biological clock, responsible for coordinating gene activity bursts during development, could offer new insights into developmental disorders and genetic diseases by revealing what happens when these timing systems fail. Understanding how these cellular-level timing systems stay coordinated could lead to advancements in treating conditions affecting growth and maturation.

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