Synthesis of ribonucleic acids in early embryos has been extensively studied during recent years in a number of laboratories and has been shown to begin shortly after fertilization (Kafiani, Tatarskaya & Kanopkayte, 1958; Wilt, 1963; Brown & Littna, 1964; Decroly, Cape & Brachet, 1964; Glišin & Glišin, 1964; Kafiani & Timofeeva, 1964, 1965; Nemer & Infant, 1965). Early embryos of Xenopus (Brown & Gurdon, 1964; Brown & Littna, 1964, 1966) and of sea urchins (Wilt, 1963; Glišin & Glišin, 1964; Nemer & Infant, 1965) synthesize up to gastrula stage predominantly or exclusively polydisperse RNA of a nonribosomal nature usually referred to as DNA-like RNA (dRNA).
The occurrence of continuous dRNA synthesis in early embryogenesis is in apparent conflict with the periodicity of the 'morphogenetic function' of cell nuclei found by one of us (Neyfakh, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965) in embryos of a number of animal species.