원문정보
초록
영어
Actin polymerization is essential for various stages of mammalian oocyte maturation, including asymmetric spindle migration, cortical actin cap formation, polar body extrusion, and cytokinesis. The heterodimeric actin capping protein (CP) is an essential element of the actin cytoskeleton. It binds to the fast-growing (barbed) ends of actin filaments, thereby blocking their elongation, and plays essential roles in various actin-mediated cellular processes. However, the roles of CP in mammalian oocyte maturation are poorly understood. We investigated the roles of CP in mouse oocytes, and found that CP is essential for correct asymmetric spindle migration and polar body extrusion. CP colocalized with cortical actin in immature oocytes, but its localization changed during maturation. Experiments in which CP was knocked down or ectopically overexpressed revealed that this protein is critical for Perturbations in the level of CP impaired spindle migration and polar body extrusion during oocyte maturation. Taken together, this study shows that CP is an essential component of the actin cytoskeleton machinery that plays crucial roles in oocyte maturation.