This proposal aims to study factors affecting the activation of the protein synthetic machinery after fertilization and during early embryogenesis and development of sea urchins, Tenebrio and other organisms. We plan to study changes in the general pattern of protein synthesis during development and to investigate the mechanism involved in selecting specific mRNA for translation. The mechanism responsible for the overall increase in protein synthesis will be studied. We plan to study the possible involvement of ribosomal proteins and protein associated with the mRNP particles in regulation of mRNA translation. The role of proteases in protein synthesis will be investigated as well as the changes in the absolute rates of protein synthesis.