Scientists identify master clock controlling biological growth
7 reported2 unconfirmed
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have identified a genetic clock in the worm C. elegans that acts as a master timekeeper for development, according to a June 4, 2026 study. The clock, formed by two proteins called MYRF-1 and LIN-42, coordinates bursts of gene activity that guide the organism through each growth stage. When the clock is disrupted, development stops. The discovery is described as the first example of a non-repeating biological clock of its kind. The team used molecular biology, DNA sequencing, protein sequencing, and the AI tool AlphaFold to uncover the mechanism. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
What’s reported
The master developmental clock was discovered in the worm C. elegans.
Two proteins, MYRF-1 and LIN-42, form a feedback circuit that serves as the central developmental clock.
MYRF-1 acts as the trigger for each developmental stage and is required for the checkpoint marking its completion.
LIN-42 helps regulate the intensity and duration of each genetic pulse.
When MYRF-1 was blocked, the entire developmental program broke down.
The research team included CSHL Professor Christopher Hammell and CSHL Director of Research Leemor Joshua-Tor.
The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on June 4, 2026.
Open questions
Whether individual cellular clocks communicate with one another during development.
How MYRF-1 and LIN-42 physically interact.
Key figures
Christopher Hammell, Professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Leemor Joshua-Tor, Director of Research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Sources: ScienceDaily
