We present the first study of protein phosphorylation kinetics during oocyte maturation and fertilization. We employ Xenopus laevis as our experimental organism. Fully grown Xenopus oocytes (Dumont Stage VI) enter prophase of meiosis I and can remain arrested in this state for a long period of time. After induced by the steroid hormone progesterone, the oocyte reenters meiosis I. The oocyte undergoes germinal vesicle breakdown, and completes the first meiotic division by emitting the first polar body. The oocyte then enters meiosis II, is arrested in metaphase, and is ready for ovulation and fertilization. Many proteins involved in oocyte maturation and subsequent fertilization, including protein kinase A, MAP kinase cascade components, and cell cycle regulators, have been identified using classical methods. While there have been published proteomic-scale studies of Xenopus oocytes and eggs, none provide information about the changes in expression of proteins or their modifications during oocyte maturation. In this talk, we present the expression kinetics for ~4,000 phosphorylation sites during seven stages of oocyte maturation, fertilization, and the first cell division.

Phosphoproteomics of fertilization

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.