Ontogenesis of animals from the position of absence of self-maintaining synthesis of regulatory proteins
Romanchikov, I.M.
Genetika 27(10): 1733-1743
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-6758 PMID: 1778452 Document Number: 374019
The starting point of this paper is that there is no self-maintenance of most tissue-specific regulatory proteins. There in only one cycle within regulatory genes hierarchy--"germ line" cycle ensuring the next generation ontogeny. The consequences of this are stage-specificity of gene expression and organism ageing. To explain the existence of long-living differentiated cells, we assume that certain genes cause specific repression of mRNAs encoding regulatory proteins, thereby stabilizing the mRNAs. On the contrary, the mRNAs encoding regulatory proteins necessary for proliferation are to be translated due to growth factors. If one of the genes encoding such mRNAs acquires a foreign (viral, for example) promoter, the cell will divide infinitely; this can explain a number of nuclear proto-oncogenes properties. From this view-point, cell proliferation and differentiation, ontogeny and regeneration are considered.