Raf-1 protein kinase is important for progesterone-induced Xenopus oocyte maturation and acts downstream of mos.

In somatic cells, the Raf-1 serine/threonine protein kinase is activated by several polypeptide growth factors. We investigated the role of Raf-1 in progesterone-induced meiotic maturation of Xenopus laevis oocytes. Raf-1 enzymatic activity and phosphorylation (reflected by a mobility shift on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels) were increased in oocytes following progesterone stimulation. The increase in Raf-1 activity was concurrent with an elevation in the activity of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. When RNA encoding an oncogenic form of Raf-1 (v-Raf) was injected into immature oocytes, MAP kinase mobility shift, germinal vesicle breakdown, and histone H1 phosphorylation increased markedly. When RNA encoding a dominant-negative version of Raf-1 was injected, progesterone-induced oocyte maturation was blocked. When RNA encoding Xenopus mos (mosxe) was injected into oocytes, Raf-1 and MAP kinase mobility shifts were observed after several hours. Also, when antisense mosxe oligonucleotides were injected into oocytes, progesterone-induced Raf-1 and MAP kinase mobility shifts were blocked. Finally, when antisense mosxe oligonucleotides were coinjected with v-Raf RNA into oocytes, histone H1 kinase activation, germinal vesicle breakdown, and MAP kinase mobility shift occurred. These findings suggest that Raf-1 activity is required for progesterone-induced oocyte maturation and that Raf-1 is downstream of mosxe activity.

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Requirement of mosXe protein kinase for meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes induced by a cdc2 mutant lacking regulatory phosphorylation sites.

Molecular and Cellular Biology ◽

10.1128/mcb.12.7.3192 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 3192-3203 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

K M Pickham ◽

A N Meyer ◽

J Li ◽

D J Donoghue

Keyword(s):

Protein Kinase ◽

Oocyte Maturation ◽

Xenopus Oocytes ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Cyclin B1 ◽

Phosphorylation Sites ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

Regulatory Phosphorylation

The p34cdc2 protein kinase is a component of maturation-promoting factor, the master regulator of the cell cycle in all eukaryotes. The activity of p34cdc2 is itself tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Predicted regulatory phosphorylation sites of Xenopus p34cdc2 were mutated in vitro, and in vitro-transcribed RNAs were injected into Xenopus oocytes. The cdc2 single mutants Thr-14----Ala and Tyr-15----Phe did not induce germinal vesicle breakdown (BVBD) upon microinjection into oocytes. In contrast, the cdc2 double mutant Ala-14/Phe-15 did induce GVBD. Both the Ala-14 and Ala-14/Phe-15p34cdc2 mutants were shown to coimmunoprecipitate cyclin B1 and to phosphorylate histone H1 in immune complex kinase assays. Microinjection of antisense oligonucleotides to c-mosXe was used to demonstrate the role of mos protein synthesis in the induction of GVBD by the Ala-14/Phe-15 cdc2 mutant. Thr-161 was also mutated. p34cdc2 single mutants Ala-161 and Glu-161 and triple mutants Ala-14/Phe-15/Ala-161 and Ala-14/Phe-15/Glu-161 failed to induce GVBD in oocytes and showed a decreased binding to cyclin B1 in coimmunoprecipitations. Each of the cdc2 mutants was also assayed by coinjection with cyclin B1 or c-mosXe RNA into oocytes. Several of the cdc2 mutants were found to affect the kinetics of cyclin B1 and/or mos-induced GVBD upon coinjection, although none affected the rate of progesterone-induced maturation. We demonstrate here the significance of Thr-14, Tyr-15, and Thr-161 of p34cdc2 in Xenopus oocyte maturation. In addition, these results suggest a regulatory role for mosXe in induction of oocyte maturation by the cdc2 mutant Ala-14/Phe-15.

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Ha-rasVal-12,Thr-59 activates S6 kinase and p34cdc2 kinase in Xenopus oocytes: evidence for c-mosxe-dependent and -independent pathways

Molecular and Cellular Biology ◽

10.1128/mcb.10.1.310-315.1990 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 310-315

Author(s):

C B Barrett ◽

R M Schroetke ◽

F A Van der Hoorn ◽

S K Nordeen ◽

J L Maller

Keyword(s):

Protein Kinase ◽

Oocyte Maturation ◽

Antisense Oligonucleotides ◽

Xenopus Oocytes ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Protein Product ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

S6 Kinase ◽

Kinase Activation ◽

Histone Kinase

Treatment with insulin or progesterone or microinjection of the transforming protein product of Ha-rasVal-12,Thr-59 (p21) is known to induce germinal vesicle breakdown in Xenopus oocytes. We have investigated the effect of p21 on S6 kinase and the H1 histone kinase of maturation-promoting factor in the presence and absence of antisense oligonucleotides against the c-mosxe proto-oncogene. Injection of p21 led to a rapid increase in S6 phosphorylation, with kinetics similar to those previously observed with insulin. Microinjection of c-mosxe antisense oligonucleotides inhibited germinal vesicle breakdown induced by p21 and totally abolished S6 kinase activation by insulin or progesterone but only partially inhibited activation by p21. However, the activation of p34cdc2 protein kinase by all three stimuli was blocked by antisense oligonucleotides. The results suggest that in oocyte maturation c-mosxe functions downstream of p21 but upstream of p34cdc2 and S6 kinase activation, although not all p21-induced events require c-mosxe.

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RHO-associated protein kinase alpha potentiates insulin-induced MAP kinase activation in Xenopus oocytes

Journal of Cell Science ◽

10.1242/jcs.112.13.2177 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 112 (13) ◽

pp. 2177-2184 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

N. Ohan ◽

Y. Agazie ◽

C. Cummings ◽

R. Booth ◽

M. Bayaa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Signal Transduction ◽

Protein Kinase ◽

Map Kinase ◽

Insulin Receptor ◽

Xenopus Oocytes ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Insulin Receptor Substrate ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

Kinase Activation ◽

Insulin Signal Transduction

We recently identified Xenopus Rho-associated protein kinase alpha (xROKalpha) as a Xenopus insulin receptor substrate-1 binding protein and demonstrated that the non-catalytic carboxyl terminus of xROKalpha binds Xenopus insulin receptor substrate-1 and blocks insulin-induced MAP kinase activation and germinal vesicle breakdown in Xenopus oocytes. In the current study we further examined the role of xROKalpha in insulin signal transduction in Xenopus oocytes. We demonstrate that injection of mRNA encoding the xROKalpha kinase domain or full length xROKalpha enhanced insulin-induced MAP kinase activation and germinal vesicle breakdown. In contrast, injection of a kinase-dead mutant of xROKalpha or pre-incubation of oocytes with an xROKalpha inhibitor significantly reduced insulin-induced MAP kinase activation. To further dissect the mechanism by which xROKalpha may participate in insulin signalling, we explored a potential function of xROKalpha in regulating cellular Ras function, since insulin-induced MAP kinase activation and germinal vesicle breakdown is known to be a Ras-dependent process. We demonstrate that whereas injection of mRNA encoding c-H-Ras alone induced xMAP kinase activation and GVBD in a very low percentage (about 10%) of injected oocytes, co-injection of mRNA encoding xROKalpha and c-H-Ras induced xMAP kinase activation and germinal vesicle breakdown in a significantly higher percentage (50-60%) of injected oocytes. These results suggest a novel function for xROKalpha in insulin signal transduction upstream of cellular Ras function.

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Requirement of mosXe protein kinase for meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes induced by a cdc2 mutant lacking regulatory phosphorylation sites

Molecular and Cellular Biology ◽

10.1128/mcb.12.7.3192-3203.1992 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 3192-3203

Author(s):

K M Pickham ◽

A N Meyer ◽

J Li ◽

D J Donoghue

Keyword(s):

Protein Kinase ◽

Oocyte Maturation ◽

Xenopus Oocytes ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Cyclin B1 ◽

Phosphorylation Sites ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

Regulatory Phosphorylation

The p34cdc2 protein kinase is a component of maturation-promoting factor, the master regulator of the cell cycle in all eukaryotes. The activity of p34cdc2 is itself tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Predicted regulatory phosphorylation sites of Xenopus p34cdc2 were mutated in vitro, and in vitro-transcribed RNAs were injected into Xenopus oocytes. The cdc2 single mutants Thr-14----Ala and Tyr-15----Phe did not induce germinal vesicle breakdown (BVBD) upon microinjection into oocytes. In contrast, the cdc2 double mutant Ala-14/Phe-15 did induce GVBD. Both the Ala-14 and Ala-14/Phe-15p34cdc2 mutants were shown to coimmunoprecipitate cyclin B1 and to phosphorylate histone H1 in immune complex kinase assays. Microinjection of antisense oligonucleotides to c-mosXe was used to demonstrate the role of mos protein synthesis in the induction of GVBD by the Ala-14/Phe-15 cdc2 mutant. Thr-161 was also mutated. p34cdc2 single mutants Ala-161 and Glu-161 and triple mutants Ala-14/Phe-15/Ala-161 and Ala-14/Phe-15/Glu-161 failed to induce GVBD in oocytes and showed a decreased binding to cyclin B1 in coimmunoprecipitations. Each of the cdc2 mutants was also assayed by coinjection with cyclin B1 or c-mosXe RNA into oocytes. Several of the cdc2 mutants were found to affect the kinetics of cyclin B1 and/or mos-induced GVBD upon coinjection, although none affected the rate of progesterone-induced maturation. We demonstrate here the significance of Thr-14, Tyr-15, and Thr-161 of p34cdc2 in Xenopus oocyte maturation. In addition, these results suggest a regulatory role for mosXe in induction of oocyte maturation by the cdc2 mutant Ala-14/Phe-15.

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A new role for Mos in Xenopus oocyte maturation: targeting Myt1 independently of MAPK

Development ◽

10.1242/dev.129.9.2129 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 129 (9) ◽

pp. 2129-2139 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Marion Peter ◽

Jean-Claude Labbé ◽

Marcel Dorée ◽

Elisabeth Mandart

Keyword(s):

Protein Kinase ◽

Oocyte Maturation ◽

Xenopus Oocyte ◽

Xenopus Oocytes ◽

Mapk Pathway ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Mapk Cascade ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

Mapk Activation

The resumption of meiosis in Xenopus arrested oocytes is triggered by progesterone, which leads to polyadenylation and translation of Mos mRNA, then activation of MAPK pathway. While Mos protein kinase has been reported to be essential for re-entry into meiosis in Xenopus, arrested oocytes can undergo germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) independently of MAPK activation, leading us to question what the Mos target might be if Mos is still required. We now demonstrate that Mos is indeed necessary, although is independent of the MAPK cascade, for conversion of inactive pre-MPF into active MPF. We have found that Myt1 is likely to be the Mos target in this process, as Mos interacts with Myt1 in oocyte extracts and Mos triggers Myt1 phosphorylation on some sites in vivo, even in the absence of MAPK activation. We propose that Mos is involved, not only in the MAPK cascade pathway, but also in a mechanism that directly activates MPF in Xenopus oocytes.

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Inhibition of mos-induced oocyte maturation by protein kinase A.

The Journal of Cell Biology ◽

10.1083/jcb.120.5.1197 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 120 (5) ◽

pp. 1197-1202 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

I Daar ◽

N Yew ◽

G F Vande Woude

Keyword(s):

Protein Kinase ◽

Oocyte Maturation ◽

Xenopus Oocytes ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Regulatory Subunit ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

Downstream Target ◽

Dependent Protein ◽

Pka Regulatory Subunit ◽

The Relationship

The relationship between the mos protooncogene protein and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) during the maturation of Xenopus oocytes was investigated. Microinjection of the PKA catalytic subunit (PKAc) into Xenopus oocytes inhibited oocyte maturation induced by the mos product but did not markedly affect the autophosphorylation activity of injected mos protein. By contrast, PKAc did not inhibit maturation promoting factor (MPF) activation or germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) that was initiated by injecting crude MPF preparations. In addition, inhibiting endogenous PKA activity by microinjecting the PKA regulatory subunit (PKAr) induced oocyte maturation that was dependent upon the presence of the endogenous mos product. Moreover, PKAr potentiated mos protein-induced MPF activation in the absence of progesterone and protein synthesis. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that progesterone-induced release from G2/M is regulated via PKAc and that PKAc negatively regulates a downstream target that is positively regulated by mos.

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Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase during meiotic maturation in porcine oocytes

Zygote ◽

10.1017/s0967199400002665 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 265-271 ◽

Cited By ~ 69

Author(s):

Maki Inoue ◽

Kunihiko Naito ◽

Fugaku Aoki ◽

Yutaka Toyoda ◽

Eimei Sato

Keyword(s):

Protein Kinase ◽

Map Kinase ◽

Kinase Activity ◽

Polar Body ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽

Meiotic Maturation ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

First Polar Body ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein

SummaryTo investigate the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAP kinase) in meiotic maturation of porcine oocytes, we assayed MAP kinase activity using basic protein(MBP) as a substrate. MAP kinase activity was low during the germinal vesicle stage, 0–20 h of culture. An abrupt increase was observed at metaphase I(30 h of culture), and activity remained significantly higher than that at 0 h until 50 h of culture, with a transient slight decrease at the time of first polar body extrusion (40 h). Detection of the kinase activity by an in-gel phosphorylation assay confirmed that the 42 and 44 kDa MAP kinases were significantly activated in 45 h cultured oocytes but not in 0 h oocytes, and just slightly in 20 h oocytes. In immunoblotting, however, the 42 and 44 kDa bands were detected in 0, 20 and 45 h cultured oocytes. Furthermore, the signal strength of the two bands did not change during the period of culture, but shifted up to 45 h, indicating that the activation of MAP kinase depended not on the synthesis but on the phosphorylation of this enzyme. These results suggest that the activation of MAP kinase is involved in the regulation of meiotic maturation of porcine oocytes, and especially in the regulation after germinal vesicle breakdown.

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Phosphorylation of MAP kinase and p90rsk and its regulation during in vitro maturation of cumulus-enclosed rabbit oocytes

Zygote ◽

10.1017/s0967199402004045 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 311-316 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Hai-Quan Yu ◽

Shorgan Bou ◽

Da-Yuen Chen ◽

Qing-Yuan Sun

Keyword(s):

Protein Kinase C ◽

Protein Kinase ◽

Map Kinase ◽

Active Form ◽

Germinal Vesicle ◽

Germinal Vesicle Breakdown ◽

Kinase C ◽

Protein Kinase C Activity ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein

Numerous studies have demonstrated that activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase is involved in the maturation of oocytes. In this study, the expression and phosphorylation of MAP kinase and p90rsk, one of the substrates of MAP kinase, during rabbit oocyte maturation were studied. The results showed that MAP kinase phosphorylation began to occur after germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and the active form was maintained until metaphase II. p90rsk was also activated after GVBD following MAP kinase activation. Immunofluorescent analysis showed that p90rsk was enriched in the nuclear area after GVBD and was gradually localised to the spindle. When GVBD was inhibited by increased cAMP or decreased protein kinase C activity, the phosphorylation of both MAP kinase and p90rsk was blocked. Our data suggest that (1) MAP kinase/p90rsk activation is not necessary for GVBD, but plays an important role in the post-GVBD events including spindle assembly in rabbit oocytes; and (2) MAP kinase/p90rsk activation is down-regulated by cAMP and up-regulated by protein kinase C in cumulus-enclosed rabbit oocytes.

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