Actinomycin D is a drug that inhibits the activity of RNA polymerase II. In the presence of actinomycin D, early development in many vertebrate species, such as frogs, can proceed past the formation of a blastula, a hollow ball of cells that forms after early cleavage divisions, but development ceases before gastrulation (the stage at which cell layers are established). What does this tell you about maternal versus zygotic gene activity in early frog development?
