Regulation of maturation-promoting factor by protein kinase C inChaetopterusoocytes

Abstract

Summary We present the results of a variety of studies showing that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) in oocytes of Chaetopterus pergamentaceus results in germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Phorbol esters and diacylglycerol can initiate a morphologically normal GVBD accompanied by a spectrum of associated biochemical processes, including increased protein phosphorylation, a shift in protein synthesis and activation of a protein kinase, maturation promoting factor (MPF). MPF activation is essential for GVBD in response to phorbol esters. In addition, inhibitors of PKC can block naturally-induced GVBD. We also present evidence that PKC can phosphorylate p34cde2, the catalytic subunit of MPF and that phosphorylation by PKC increases the histone H1 kinase activity of immunoprecipitated MPF. Immunoblot studies show that Chaetopterus oocyte p34cdc2 is not tyrosine phosphorylated prior to the initiation of GVBD, indicating that activation of MPF at GVBD in this species does not require p80cdc25, the activator of MPF at mitosis. These results suggest that PKC is an essential regulator of GVBD which can directly phosphorylate and regulate p34cdc2. Since PKC is the intracellular receptor for and is directly activated by tumor-promoters, tumor promotion might involve acceleration of the cell cycle through modification of the enzymatic activity of MPF by PKC.