Potential role of mitogen-activated protein kinase during meiosis resumption in bovine oocytes
Abstract
During meiotic maturation, numerous cytoplasmic and nuclear events take place that prepare the oocytes for fertilization. These changes are initiated by an increase in the activity of several kinases, most notably maturation-promoting factor, also called histone H1 kinase. Another kinase, mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, is also stimulated during this period. In this study, we investigated the role of MAP kinase in bovine oocyte maturation. First, the kinetics of activation of histone H1 and MAP kinases during maturation were assessed simultaneously by evaluating their catalytic activities in vitro. We found that they are activated at approximately the same time, around germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Then, at approximately 15 h of maturation, the activity of H1 kinase temporarily decreases, whereas MAP kinase remains high through the metaphase II stage. Second, the activation and catalytic activity of MAP kinase was directly evaluated by Western blotting and by an in-gel kinase assay. We determined that MAP kinase becomes activated and exhibits a decreased mobility through SDS-polyacrylamide gels, and that its catalytic activity increases as maturation progresses. In our system, most of the MAP kinase activity can be...Continue Reading
Citations
Mitogen-activated protein kinase dynamics during the meiotic G2/MI transition of mouse spermatocytes
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