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Essential CDK1-inhibitory role for separase during meiosis I in vertebrate oocytes

Nature Cell Biology volume 8, pages 1035–1037 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Separase not only triggers anaphase of meiosis I by proteolytic cleavage of cohesin on chromosome arms, but in vitro vertebrate separase also acts as a direct inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) on liberation from the inhibitory protein, securin. Blocking separase–Cdk1 complex formation by microinjection of anti-separase antibodies prevents polar-body extrusion in vertebrate oocytes. Importantly, proper meiotic maturation is rescued by chemical inhibition of Cdk1 or expression of Cdk1-binding separase fragments lacking cohesin-cleaving activity.

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Figure 1: Block of polar-body extrusion by anti-separase antibody can be reversed by simultaneous inhibition of Cdk1.

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Acknowledgements

We thankS. Jentsch for continuous support and A. Straßer for technical assistance. This work was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG; Emmy-Noether-Program) to O.S. and from The Wellcome Trust (Project 075744) to K.T.J. O.S. also received a career development award (CDA) from the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization.

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Author notes

  1. Ingo H. Gorr and Alexandra Reis: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, Martinsried, 82152, Germany

    Ingo H. Gorr, Dominik Boos, Martin WÜhr & Olaf Stemmann

  2. Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, The Medical School, Framlington Place, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK

    Alexandra Reis, Suzanne Madgwick & Keith T. Jones

Authors
  1. Ingo H. Gorr
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Keith T. Jones or Olaf Stemmann.

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Supplementary figure S1 and Supplementary Method. (PDF 321 kb)

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Gorr, I., Reis, A., Boos, D. et al. Essential CDK1-inhibitory role for separase during meiosis I in vertebrate oocytes. Nat Cell Biol 8, 1035–1037 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1467

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