Abstract
The early stages of embryonic development rely on maternal products for proper regulation. However, screening for functional maternal-specific factors is challenging due to the time- and labor-intensive nature of traditional approaches. Here, we combine a computational pipeline and F0 null mutant technology to screen for functional maternal-specific chromatin regulators in zebrafish embryogenesis and identify Mcm3l, Mcm6l, and Npm2a as playing essential roles in DNA replication and cell division. Our results contribute to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying early embryo development and highlight the importance of maternal-specific chromatin regulators in this critical stage.