Maternal provisioning and zygotic activation: transcriptomic dynamics of early atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) embryogenesis

Our results demonstrate that the decisive transcriptional programs underlying axis formation and organogenesis are activated from MBT onward. These findings imply that comparisons limited to unfertilized or early cleavage stages cannot capture the biology determining embryo viability. Stage-resolved analyses encompassing MBT and gastrulation are therefore essential for identifying transcriptomic markers of egg and larval quality in halibut.