9 Nov 2015; 31:3 Developmental Cell

   "On the Relationship of Protein and mRNA Dynamics in Vertebrate Embryonic Development" 

 by Leonid Peshkin*, Martin Wuehr*, et al., Marc W. Kirschner

Keywords: 
systems embryology | protein economy in development | predictive modeling | mass action kinetics | protein synthesis rates | protein stability | protein degradation rates  

In Brief
Embryos express proteins at the correct time during development, by balancing
the maternal contribution with protein synthesis and degradation. Peshkin et al.
determine the absolute concentrations of 10,000 proteins and 28,000 transcripts
across Xenopus development, uncovering the relative roles of these
three processes across the proteome and revealing global trends.


Highlights
o  A genome-scale resource of mRNA and protein expression for vertebrate embryogenesis
o  Temporal patterns of change in mRNA and protein abundance are poorly correlated
o  A simple kinetic model explains protein expression as a function of mRNA levels
o  Embryogenesis is driven by maternal protein dowry and tissue-specific transcription

Abstract 
A biochemical explanation of development from the fertilized
egg to the adult requires an understanding of the proteins and RNAs
expressed over time during embryogenesis. We present a comprehensive
characterization of protein and mRNA dynamics across early development
in Xenopus. Surprisingly, we find that most protein levels change
little and duplicated genes are expressed similarly. While the
correlation between protein and mRNA levels is poor, a mass action
kinetics model parameterized using protein synthesis and degradation
rates regresses protein dynamics to RNA dynamics, corrected for
initial protein concentration. This study provides detailed data for
absolute levels of ~10,000 proteins and ~28,000 transcripts via a
convenient web portal, a rich resource for developmental
biologists. It underscores the lasting impact of maternal dowry, finds
surprisingly few cases where degradation alone drives a change in
protein level, and highlights the importance of transcription in
shaping the dynamics of the embryonic proteome.

Accession Numbers
GSE73905
GSE73870
PXD002349

Relationship between differentially expressed mRNA and proteins, Correlation of mRNA and protein, RNA versus protein expression, correlation of mRNA expression and protein abundance, How is mRNA expression predictive for protein expression