Join host Cameron A. Schmidt, PhD, as he kicks off a new series celebrating the vital role of the egg in sexual reproduction. This episode features a conversation with pioneering developmental biologist Dr. Mariana Wolfner of Cornell University.

Dr. Wolfner has spent nearly fifty years utilizing the powerful genetics of the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to dissect the fundamental mechanisms guiding sex determination and development, spanning from genetics and molecular biology to evolutionary development.

Key Topics in this Episode:

• The Power of Model Organisms: Discover why Drosophila is an indispensable tool for uncovering conserved biological mechanisms shared across diverse species, including mammals.
• Defining Conservation: Dr. Wolfner explores the difference between biochemical functional conservation and developmental functional conservation in evolutionary biology.
• The Mystery of Egg Activation: Learn about this critical, yet poorly understood, process where a terminally differentiated egg transitions into a totipotent cell capable of creating an entire organism.
  • The Calcium Signal: Discuss the pivotal role of calcium in triggering activation and how the initiating impulse differs between organisms like mammals (sperm-delivered enzyme) and insects (mechanical/environmental cues upon ovulation).
• Sexual Conflict and Cooperation: An updated perspective on the role of male accessory gland secretions (seminal fluid) and how molecules transferred during mating influence female physiology and behavior, challenging older interpretations of sexual conflict in favor of a more nuanced view of cooperation and cross-talk between the sexes.

This discussion offers a fascinating look at how small-scale molecular events ultimately inform large-scale developmental and evolutionary phenomena.