Abstract
The Aurora kinase family has been involved both in vivo and in vitro in the stability of the metaphase plate and chromosome segregation. However, to date only one member of this family, the protein kinase Aurora B, has been implicated in the regulation of meiotic division in Caenorhabditis elegans. In this species, disruption of Aurora B results in the failure of polar body extrusion. To investigate whether Aurora A is also required in meiosis, we microinjected highly specific alpha-Aurora A antibodies in Xenopus oocytes. We demonstrated that microinjected oocytes fail to extrude the first polar body and are arrested with condensed chromosomes on a typical metaphase I plate, which has not performed its normal 90 degrees rotation. We additionally found that, although the failure of first polar body extrusion observed in alpha-Aurora A-microinjected oocytes is likely mediated by Eg5, the impairment of the metaphase plate rotation does not involve this kinesin-like protein. Surprisingly, although chromosomes remain condensed at a metaphase I stage in alpha-Aurora A-microinjected oocytes, the cytoplasmic cell cycle events progress normally through meiosis until metaphase II arrest. Moreover, these oocytes are able to undergo parthenogenetic activation. We conclude that Aurora A and Eg5 are involved in meiosis I to meiosis II transition in Xenopus oocytes.
Highlights
From yeast to human, members of the Aurora/Ipl1 kinase family have been implicated in many mitotic cell cycle events ranging from centrosome separation and bipolar spindle assembly to chromosome segregation [1, 2]
To gain a better understanding of the involvement of the Aurora kinase family in meiosis, we investigated here whether in addition to Aurora B, Aurora A, which is expressed at low levels at the first meiotic prophase in Xenopus oocytes, is involved in the control of meiotic division
Aurora A kinase has been implicated in the maintenance of mitotic metaphase plate as well as in cytokinesis [1, 2]
Summary
Members of the Aurora/Ipl kinase family have been implicated in many mitotic cell cycle events ranging from centrosome separation and bipolar spindle assembly to chromosome segregation [1, 2]. Strate, the kinesin-like protein Eg5 [9], can induce a collapse of a performed mitotic metaphase [10, 11] These phenotypes are consistent with a requirement of Aurora A kinase and the kinesin-like protein Eg5 in the dynamic events required for mitotic metaphase plate formation [5, 9]. Despite the established role of Aurora kinase family in mitosis, little is known about its participation in the control of meiosis. In this regard, up to this date, only Aurora B has been shown to be involved in meiosis. To gain a better understanding of the involvement of the Aurora kinase family in meiosis, we investigated here whether in addition to Aurora B, Aurora A, which is expressed at low levels at the first meiotic prophase in Xenopus oocytes, is involved in the control of meiotic division
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