The maternal-to-zygotic transition, involving maternal mRNA clearance and zygotic genome activation (ZGA), is a conserved and fundamental process during vertebrate embryogenesis. During this critical developmental period, the embryo undergoes dramatic reprogramming by switching from a maternal factor-dominated state to a zygotic factor-driven state. Due to the transcriptional quiescence of the zygotic genome during the initial developmental stages, selective maintenance and translational control of maternal mRNAs are essential.