A split-second stall at the start of genes may explain how complex animals evolved, according to the Cornell Chronicle. Researchers found that a brief “pause” in gene activity grew stronger and more precise over time, giving cells tighter control.
The study traced this pause — called promoter-proximal pausing — across species, from single-celled organisms to humans. Early life showed only a weak version, but animals evolved new proteins, especially a complex called NELF, that lengthened and stabilized the pause.
Without NELF, experiments showed genes misfired under stress, failing to turn on properly. Scientists say that fine-tuned control helped enable multicellular life — and when it breaks, it can fuel diseases like cancer.
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