Activation of p90rsk during meiotic maturation and first mitosis in mouse oocytes and eggs: MAP kinase-independent and -dependent activation

Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (6) ◽  
pp. 1957-1964 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Kalab ◽  
J.Z. Kubiak ◽  
M.H. Verlhac ◽  
W.H. Colledge ◽  
B. Maro

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) become activated during the meiotic maturation of oocytes from many species; however, their molecular targets remain unknown. This led us to characterize the activation of the ribosomal subunit S6 kinase of Mr 82 X 10(3) - 92 X 10(3) (p90rsk; a major substrate of MAPK in somatic cells) in maturing mouse oocytes and during the first cell cycle of the mouse embryo. We assessed the phosphorylation state of p90rsk by examining the electrophoretic mobility shifts on immunoblots and measured the kinase activity of immunoprecipitated p90rsk on a S6-derived peptide. Germinal vesicle stage (GV) oocytes contained a doublet of Mr 82 × 10(3) and 84 × 10(3) with a low S6 peptide kinase activity (12% of the maximum level found in metaphase II oocytes). A band of Mr 86 × 10(3) was first observed 30 minutes after GV breakdown (GVBD) and became prominent within 2 to 3 hours. MAPK was not phosphorylated 1 hour after GVBD, when the p90rsk-specific S6 kinase activity reached 37 % of the M II level. 2 hours after GVBD, MAPK became phosphorylated and p90rsk kinase activity reached 86% of the maximum level. The p90rsk band of Mr 88 × 10(3), present in mature M II oocytes when S6 peptide kinase activity is maximum, appeared when MAPK phosphorylation was nearly complete (2.5 hours after GVBD). In activated eggs, the dephosphorylation of p90rsk to Mr 86 X 10(3) starts about 1 hour after the onset of pronuclei formation and continues very slowly until the beginning of mitosis, when the doublet of Mr 82 X 10(3) and 84 X 10(3) reappears. A role for a M-phase activated kinase (like p34cdc2) in p90rsk activation was suggested by the reappearance of the Mr 86 X 10(3) band during first mitosis and in 1-cell embryos arrested in M phase by nocodazole. The requirement of MAPK for the full activation of p90rsk during meiosis was demonstrated by the absence of the fully active Mr 88 X 10(3) band in maturing c-mos −/− oocytes, where MAPK is not activated. The inhibition of kinase activity in activated eggs by 6-DMAP after second polar body extrusion provided evidence that both MAPK- and p90rsk-specific phosphatases are activated at approximately the same time prior to pronuclei formation.

1992 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.Z. Kubiak ◽  
M. Weber ◽  
G. Geraud ◽  
B. Maro

When metaphase II-arrested mouse oocytes (M II) are activated very soon after ovulation, they respond abortively by second polar body extrusion followed by another metaphase arrest (metaphase III, M III; Kubiak, 1989). The M II/M III transition resembles the natural transition between the first and second meiotic metaphases (M I/M II). We observed that a similar sequence of events takes place during these two transitions: after anaphase, a polar body is extruded, the microtubules of the midbody disappear rapidly and a new metaphase spindle forms. The MPM-2 monoclonal antibody (which reacts with phosphorylated proteins associated with the centrosome during M-phase) stains discrete foci of peri-centriolar material only in metaphase arrested oocytes; during both transitional periods, a diffuse staining is observed, suggesting that these centrosomal proteins are dephosphorylated, as in a normal interphase. However, the chromosomes always remain condensed and an interphase network of microtubules is never observed during the transitional periods. Incorporation of 32P into proteins increases specifically during the transitional periods. Pulse-chase experiments, after labeling of the oocytes in M phase with 32P, showed that a 62 kDa phosphoprotein band disappears at the time of polar body extrusion. Histone H1 kinase activity (which reflects the activity of the maturation promoting factor) drops during both transitional periods to the level characteristic of interphase and then increases when the new spindle forms. Both the M I/M II and M II/M III transitions require protein synthesis as demonstrated by the effect of puromycin. These results suggest that the two M-phase/M-phase transitions are probably driven by the same molecular mechanism.


Development ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 125 (24) ◽  
pp. 4989-4997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Polanski ◽  
E. Ledan ◽  
S. Brunet ◽  
S. Louvet ◽  
M.H. Verlhac ◽  
...  

To study the mechanisms involved in the progression of meiotic maturation in the mouse, we used oocytes from two strains of mice, CBA/Kw and KE, which differ greatly in the rate at which they undergo meiotic maturation. CBA/Kw oocytes extrude the first polar body about 7 hours after breakdown of the germinal vesicle (GVBD), whilst the oocytes from KE mice take approximately 3–4 hours longer. In both strains, the kinetics of spindle formation are comparable. While the kinetics of MAP kinase activity are very similar in both strains (although slightly faster in CBA/Kw), the rise of cdc2 kinase activity is very rapid in CBA/Kw oocytes and slow and diphasic in KE oocytes. When protein synthesis is inhibited, the activity of the cdc2 kinase starts to rise but arrests shortly after GVBD with a slightly higher level in CBA/Kw oocytes, which may correspond to the presence of a larger pool of cyclin B1 in prophase CBA/Kw oocytes. After GVBD, the rate of cyclin B1 synthesis is higher in CBA/Kw than in KE oocytes, whilst the overall level of protein synthesis and the amount of messenger RNA coding for cyclin B1 are identical in oocytes from both strains. The injection of cyclin B1 messenger RNA in KE oocytes increased the H1 kinase activity and sped up first polar body extrusion. Finally, analysis of the rate of maturation in hybrids obtained after fusion of nuclear and cytoplasmic fragments of oocytes from both strains suggests that both the germinal vesicle and the cytoplasm contain factor(s) influencing the length of the first meiotic M phase. These results demonstrate that the rate of cyclin B1 synthesis controls the length of the first meiotic M phase and that a nuclear factor able to speed up cyclin B synthesis is present in CBA/Kw oocytes.


1976 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-545
Author(s):  
P.M. Wassarman ◽  
W.J. Josefowicz ◽  
G.E. Letourneau

In vitro studies of meiotic maturation of mouse oocytes have been carried out in the presence of several drugs. The individual steps of nuclear progression, including dissolution of the nuclear (germinal vesicle) membrane, condensation of dictyate chromatin into compact bivalents, formation of the first metaphase spindle, and extrusion of the first polar body, are each susceptible to one or more of these drugs. Germinal vesicle breakdown, the initial morphological feature characteristic of meiotic maturation, is inhibited by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. However, even in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP, the nuclear membrane becomes extremely convoluted and condensation of chromatin is initiated but aborts at a stage short of compact bivalents. Germinal vesicle breakdown and chromatin condensation take place in an apparently normal manner in the presence of puromycin, Colcemid, or cytochalasin B. Nuclear progression is blocked at the circular bivalent stage when oocytes are cultured continuously in the presence of puromycin or Colcemid, whereas oocytes cultured in the presence of cytochalasin B proceed to the first meiotic metaphase, form an apparently normal spindle, and arrest. Emission of a polar body is inhibited by all of these drugs. The inhibitory effects of these drugs on meiotic maturation are reversible to varying degrees dependent upon the duration of exposure to the drug and upon the nature of the drug. These studies suggest that dissolution of the mouse oocyte's germinal vesicle and condensation of chromatin are not dependent upon concomitant protein synthesis or upon microtubules. On the other hand, the complete condensation of chromatin into compact bivalents apparently requires breakdown of the germinal vesicle. Failure of homologous chromosomes to separate after normal alignment on the meiotic spindle in the presence of cytochalasin B suggest that microfilaments may be involved in nuclear progression at this stage of maturation. Cytokinesis, in the form of polar body formation, is blocked when any one of the earlier events of maturation fails to take place.


Zygote ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joise M.L. McConnell ◽  
Liz Campbell ◽  
Caroline Vincent

SummaryThe ability of mouse oocytes to become activated after exposure too the calcium ionophore A23187 has been investigated at different stages of meiotic maturation. The potential to respond to ionophore has been studied in relation to the time since resumption of meiotic maturation, the chromosomal conformation of the DNA within each cell and the protein synthetic profile of the maturing oocyte. Our studies demonstrate that when maturing oocytes from an MF1 strain of mice were treated with A23187 activation occured only in oocytes which had reached second meiotic metaphase (MII). However, development of the ability to respond to ionophore was not dependent on an orderly progression through normal chromosomal rearrangements such as separation at metaphase I (MI) and subsequent polar body extrusion, since there process could be prevented and the capacity to be activated became apparent in such oocytes at a time when control cells had reached MII. These data suggest that the ability to respond to ionophore depends on the development of a cytoplasmic or complex capable of monitoring the time since initiation of germinal vesicle breakdown. Metabolic radiolabelling of oocytes which were able to respond to calcium ionophore, even though they had been prevented from undergoing normal chromosomal rearrangements, showed them to be synthesising a group of proteins known as the 35 kDa complex.


Zygote ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maki Inoue ◽  
Kunihiko Naito ◽  
Fugaku Aoki ◽  
Yutaka Toyoda ◽  
Eimei Sato

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.


Reproduction ◽  
2002 ◽  
pp. 235-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Azuma ◽  
T Kondo ◽  
S Ikeda ◽  
H Imai ◽  
M Yamada

EDTA saturated with Ca(2+), Fe(3+) or Cu(2+) can induce parthenogenetic activation of pig oocytes at the germinal vesicle stage, whereas EDTA saturated with Zn(2+), which is unable to chelate Zn(2+), does not, indicating that chelation of Zn(2+) with EDTA saturated with Ca(2+) (Ca-EDTA) in maturing pig oocytes plays a pivotal role in the induction of parthenogenetic activation of oocytes. In the present study, the involvement of Zn(2+) chelation in the induction of parthenogenetic activation of pig oocytes at the germinal vesicle stage was confirmed first by examining the effects of concomitant addition of Zn(2+), Cu(2+) or Ni(2+) at various concentrations together with 1 mmol Ca-EDTA l(-1) to the maturation medium. The titration experiments revealed that the pronuclear formation induced by 1 mmol Ca-EDTA l(-1) was completely inhibited by the addition of > 30 micromol Zn(2+) l(-1) to the medium, but not by the addition of Cu(2+) and Ni(2+) at any concentration examined. Second, bovine and mouse oocytes at the germinal vesicle stage were cultured in medium with or without 1 mmol Ca-EDTA l(-1) for 48 h to examine the effects of Ca-EDTA treatment on these oocytes during maturation culture. Most (70-86%) of the bovine oocytes that underwent germinal vesicle breakdown matured to the MII stage via the MI phase, regardless of whether Ca-EDTA was present for the first 24 h of culture. However, 61% of oocytes that had been cultured with Ca-EDTA for 48 h formed a pronucleus without a second polar body, whereas oocytes cultured in the absence of Ca-EDTA were not observed to form a pronucleus at any time during culture. However, even when mouse oocytes at the germinal vesicle stage were cultured for up to 48 h in maturation medium containing Ca-EDTA, pronuclear formation was not observed. Finally, when bovine oocytes that had been cultured with 1 mmol Ca-EDTA l(-1) for 48 h from the germinal vesicle stage were cultured further in medium without Ca-EDTA that was supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum, only 26% of the oocytes developed to the cleaved stage, and none could develop further.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Fanhua Ma ◽  
Liming Hou ◽  
Liguo Yang

Txndc9 (thioredoxin domain containing protein 9) has been shown to be involved in mammalian mitosis; however, its function in mammalian oocyte meiosis remains unclear. In this study, we initially found that Txndc9 is expressed during meiotic maturation of mouse oocytes and higher expression of Txndc9 mRNA and protein occurred in germinal vesicle (GV) stage. By using confocal scanning, we observed that Txndc9 localized at both nucleus and cytoplasm, especially at spindle microtubules. Specific depletion of Txndc9 by siRNA in mouse oocyte resulted in decreasing the rate of first polar body extrusion and increasing abnormal spindle assemble. Moreover, knockdown of Txndc9 in germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes led to higher level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lower level of antioxidant glutathione (GSH) as compared with control oocytes, which indicated that Txndc9 may be involved in mediating the redox balance. In summary, our results demonstrated that Txndc9 is crucial for mouse oocyte maturation by regulating spindle assembly, polar body extrusion, and redox status.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Ting Shen ◽  
Yue-Qiang Song ◽  
Xiao-Qin He ◽  
Fei Zhang ◽  
Xin Huang ◽  
...  

Meiosis produces haploid gametes for sexual reproduction. Triphenyltin chloride (TPTCL) is a highly bioaccumulated and toxic environmental oestrogen; however, its effect on oocyte meiosis remains unknown. We examined the effect of TPTCL on mouse oocyte meiotic maturation in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, TPTCL inhibited germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and first polar body extrusion (PBE) in a dose-dependent manner. The spindle microtubules completely disassembled and the chromosomes condensed after oocytes were exposed to 5 or 10 μg mL–1 TPTCL. γ-Tubulin protein was abnormally localised near chromosomes rather than on the spindle poles. In vivo, mice received TPTCL by oral gavage for 10 days. The general condition of the mice deteriorated and the ovary coefficient was reduced (P < 0.05). The number of secondary and mature ovarian follicles was significantly reduced by 10 mg kg–1 TPTCL (P < 0.05). GVBD decreased in a non-significant, dose-dependent manner (P > 0.05). PBE was inhibited with 10 mg kg–1 TPTCL (P < 0.05). The spindles of in vitro and in vivo metaphase II oocytes were disassembled with 10 mg kg–1 TPTCL. These results suggest that TPTCL seriously affects meiotic maturation by disturbing cell-cycle progression, disturbing the microtubule cytoskeleton and inhibiting follicle development in mouse oocytes.


Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (7) ◽  
pp. 1995-2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.L. Russo ◽  
K. Kyozuka ◽  
L. Antonazzo ◽  
E. Tosti ◽  
B. Dale

Using the fluorescent dye Calcium Green-dextran, we measured intracellular Ca2+ in oocytes of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis at fertilization and during progression through meiosis. The relative fluorescence intensity increased shortly after insemination in a single transient, the activation peak, and this was followed by several smaller oscillations that lasted for approximately 5 minutes (phase 1). The first polar body was extruded after the completion of the phase 1 transients, about 9 minutes after insemination, and then the intracellular calcium level remained at baseline for a period of 5 minutes (phase 2). At 14 minutes postinsemination a second series of oscillations was initiated that lasted 11 minutes (phase 3) and terminated at the time of second polar body extrusion. Phases 1 and 3 were inhibited by preloading oocytes with 5 mM heparin. Simultaneous measurements of membrane currents, in the whole-cell clamp configuration, showed that the 1–2 nA inward fertilization current correlated temporally with the activation peak, while a series of smaller oscillations of 0.1-0.3 nA amplitude were generated at the time of the phase 3 oscillations. Biochemical characterization of Maturation Promoting Factor (MPF) in ascidian oocytes led to the identification of a Cdc2-like kinase activity. Using p13suc1-sepharose as a reagent to precipitate the MPF complex, a 67 kDa (67 × 10(3) Mr) protein was identified as cyclin B. Histone H1 kinase activity was high at metaphase I and decreased within 5 minutes of insemination reaching a minimum level during phase 2, corresponding to telophase I. During phase 3, H1 kinase activity increased and then decayed again during telophase II. Oocytes preloaded with BAPTA and subsequently inseminated did not generate any calcium transients, nonetheless H1 kinase activity decreased 5 minutes after insemination, as in the controls, and remained low for at least 30 minutes. Injection of BAPTA during phase 2 suppressed the phase 3 calcium transients, and inhibited both the increase in H1 kinase activity normally encountered at metaphase II and second polar body extrusion.


1999 ◽  
Vol 146 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Brunet ◽  
Angélica Santa Maria ◽  
Philippe Guillaud ◽  
Denis Dujardin ◽  
Jacek Z. Kubiak ◽  
...  

During meiosis, two successive divisions occur without any intermediate S phase to produce haploid gametes. The first meiotic division is unique in that homologous chromosomes are segregated while the cohesion between sister chromatids is maintained, resulting in a reductional division. Moreover, the duration of the first meiotic M phase is usually prolonged when compared with mitotic M phases lasting 8 h in mouse oocytes. We investigated the spindle assembly pathway and its role in the progression of the first meiotic M phase in mouse oocytes. During the first 4 h, a bipolar spindle forms and the chromosomes congress near the equatorial plane of the spindle without stable kinetochore– microtubule end interactions. This late prometaphase spindle is then maintained for 4 h with chromosomes oscillating in the central region of the spindle. The kinetochore–microtubule end interactions are set up at the end of the first meiotic M phase (8 h after entry into M phase). This event allows the final alignment of the chromosomes and exit from metaphase. The continuous presence of the prometaphase spindle is not required for progression of the first meiotic M phase. Finally, the ability of kinetochores to interact with microtubules is acquired at the end of the first meiotic M phase and determines the timing of polar body extrusion.


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