The Genetic Control Of Early Embryonic Development

In 1995, Wieschaus, Nusslein-Vollard and Lewis were awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for their work in the field of developmental genetics. What did they do, and why were they awarded the Nobel Prize? Introduction In 1995, the Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine was shared between three scientists - Christiane Nà ¼sslein-Volhard, Eric Wieschaus and Edward B. Lewis, for their work which focused on â€Å"the genetic control of early embryonic development† (1). This essay will discuss the discoveries of each of these three scientists, and the wider implications of their work – implications that made them worthy of the Nobel Prize. The Research of Christiane Nà ¼sslein-Volhard and Eric Wieschaus In the late seventies, Christiane Nà ¼sslein-Volhard†¦show more content†¦2014)) (5). Drosophila is a commonly used ‘model organism’ in animal biology and genetics, partially because they have a short life cycle (6) and a newly fertilised egg can develop in around ten days (Figure 1). In their study, published in Nature in 1980, Nà ¼sslein-Volhard and Wieschaus describe mutations found in the offspring of females treated with mutagens (7). They describe mutations found on the first, second and third chromosomes – 15 loci in total (4). These mutations were put into three groups, depending on their effects on Drosophila development (4). These categories were: †¢ Segment polarity genes – control the development of individual segments. †¢ Pair-rule genes – control the development of repeating segments – i.e. every other segment. †¢ Gap genes – control development along the antero-posterior axis (4). Each one of these categories represent a different stage of development – from gap genes in early development to segment polarity genes in later embryonic development (7). The Research of Edward B. Lewis Edward B. Lewis began his research into Drosophila genetics in the thirties, when he was still in high school. Along with his friend Edward Novitski, he had studied Drosophila after school had finished for the day. During his undergraduate education studying biostatistics at the University of Minnesota (8), Lewis studied the Drosophila mutant ‘rough-eye’ and ‘Star’ (S) (8). Following