Protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) is required for the completion of meiosis in mouse oocytes

Dev Biol. 2008 Feb 1;314(1):215-23. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.12.005. Epub 2007 Dec 15.

Abstract

Akt, also known as protein kinase B, is implicated in many cellular processes. Akt is phosphorylated at two residues, Thr308 and Ser473. Thr308-phosphorylated Akt is present in pericentriolar materials, while localization of Ser473-phosphorylated Akt was similar to that of microtubules in metaphase oocytes. Spindles were shorter and aberrant in oocytes injected with Thr308- or Ser473-phosphorylated Akt antibodies. Specifically, Thr308- and Ser473-phosphorylated Akts function individually and are both necessary to assemble the metaphase II (MII) spindle. Moreover, the functions of Thr308- and Ser473-phosphorylated Akts differ in MII oocytes. Although oocytes exhibited second polar body (PB2) emission after the injection of a peptide for Thr308, the chromosomal alignment and microtubular organization were aberrant. In contrast, the injection of a peptide for Ser473 caused a failure of PB2 emission. These results suggest that Thr308- and Ser473-phosphorylated Akts are individually involved in fertilization to complete meiosis, including different roles (i.e., Ser473-phosphorylated Akts are involved in PB2 emission, whereas Thr308-phosphorylated Akts regulate the organization of microtubules).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fertilization / physiology
  • Meiosis / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Microtubules / physiology
  • Oocytes / physiology*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt