Cellular maturation and differentiation processes are accompanied by the expression of specific proteins. Especially in oocytes, there is no reliable strict linear correlation between mRNA levels and the abundance of proteins. Furthermore, the activity of proteins is modulated by specific kinases and phosphatases which control cellular processes like cellular growth, differentiation, cell cycle and meiosis. During the meiotic maturation of oocytes, the activation of protein kinases, namely of the MPF and MAPK play a predominant role. Therefore, the present study was performed to analyze meiotic maturation at a molecular level, concerning alterations of the proteom and phosphoproteom during IVM. Using a proteomic approach by combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by selective protein and phosphoprotein staining and mass spectrometry, we identified proteins which were differentially expressed and/or phosphorylated during IVM. Furthermore, we used the MPF inhibitor butyrolactone I, to reveal new molecular effects which are potentially essential for successful maturation. The results show that approximately 550 protein spots could be visualized by the fluorescent dye Sypro ruby at any maturation stage (GV, M I, M II) investigated. From GV stage to M II, ProQ diamond staining indicate in GV 30%, in M I 50%, and in M II 45% of the spots were phosphorylated. The Identity of 40 spots could be established. These proteins belong to different families, for example, cytoskeleton, molecular chaperons, redox, energy and metabolism related proteins, nucleic acid binding proteins, cell cycle regulators, and protein kinases. Four of them were differentially expressed (alteration higher than factor 2) during IVM, namely tubulin beta-chain, cyclin E(2), protein disulfide isomerase and one of two different forms of peroxiredoxin 2. Seven proteins were differentially stained by ProQ diamond, indicating a differential phosphorylation. These are tubulin beta-chain, beta-actin, cyclin E(2), aldose reductase and UMP-synthase, protein disulfide isomerase 2, and peroxiredoxin 2. Furthermore, the results indicate that the phosphorylation of at least peroxiredoxin 2 respond to BL I treatment. This indicates that its phosphorylation is under the control of MPF or MAPK. In summary these results indicates that the reduction of cyclin Eexpression and the (partially) inactivation of peroxiredoxin 2 by phosphorylation, hence alterations in the peroxide levels which can mediate signal transduction are essential components for successful maturation.

Regulation of gene expression at the translational level is particularly essential during developmental periods, when transcription is impaired. According to the closed-loop model of translational initiation, we have analyzed components of the 5 -mRNA cap-binding complex eIF4F (eIF4E, eIF4G, eIF4A), the eIF4E repressor 4E-BP1, and 3 -mRNA poly-(A) tail-associated proteins (PABP1 and 3, PAIP1 and 2, CPEB1, Maskin) during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes and early embryonic development up to the 16-cell stage. Furthermore, we have elucidated the activity of distinct kinases which are potentially involved in their phosphorylation. Major phosphorylation of specific target sequences of PKA, PKB, PKC, CDKs, ATM/ATR, and MAPK were observed in M II stage oocytes. Furthermore, main changes in the abundance and/or phosphorylation of distinct mRNA-binding factors occur at the transition from M II stage oocytes to 2-cell embryos. In conclusion, the results indicate that, at the transition from oocyte to embryonic development, translational initiation is regulated by striking differences in the abundance and/or phosphorylation of 5 -end and 3 -end mRNA associated factors, mainly the poly-(A) bindings proteins PABP1 and 3, their repressor PAIP2 and a Maskin-like protein with distinct eIF4E-binding properties which prevents eIF4E/cap binding and eIF4F formation in vitro. Nevertheless, from the M II stage to 16-cell embryos a substantial amount of eIF4E and, to a lesser extent, of eIF4G was precipitated by (7)m-GTP-Separose indicating eIF4F complex formation. Therefore, it is likely that in general the reduction in PABP1 and 3 abundance represses overall translation during early embryonic development.

The importance of protein phosphorylations during meiotic maturation (transition from prophase I to metaphase II) of oocytes is documented by the fact that the inhibition of the M-phase kinases, cdc2k or MAPK, arrests the oocytes in the GV stage. A detailed knowledge of the targets of these kinases during this stage of development is still missing. Therefore, we have analyzed the proteome of bovine oocytes by high resolution 2D-gel electrophoresis to detect differences in the expression and phosphorylation state of proteins in the course of in vitro maturation (IVM). Bovine oocytes were matured for different times in TCM 199 containing 3% BSA and 300 oocytes each in GV stage (0-h maturation), in GVBD/M I (10-h maturation) or in M II stage (240 h maturation) were separated on the gels. The proteins were visualized by staining them with silver or with the fluorescence dye Sypro Ruby, and phosphorylated proteins were detected by Western Blotting with Ser-, Thr-, or Tyr-phosphorylation specific antibodies or by staining with the phosphoprotein specific fluorescence dye Pro-Q Diamond. Gels made from oocytes at the above mentioned maturation stages were compared by a computerized gel-overlay software program (2D Decodon, Greitswald, Germany). The overall protein synthesis was statistically analysed by ANOVA (SigmaStat, Ekrath, Germany), pairwise multiple comparison procedure. Only distinct spots with a difference greater than 30% in their optical densities were considered to be differently expressed or phosphorylated. The results showed a three-fold increase in the rate of overall protein synthesis (p 0.05) during GVBD. Newly synthesized proteins were detected mainly in the higher molecular weight (MW) range (60-80 kDa), and protein degradations were found mainly in the lower MW range (20-40 kDa) after GVBD. Preliminary data obtained by analyzing the phosphorylation pattern showed that obviously no phosphorylated proteins could be detected in the GV-stage oocytes. Phosphorylation of different proteins was observed at the time of GVBD after 6 to 10 h IVM, concomitantly with the activation of cdc2k and MAPK. A maximum of phosphorylated proteins was observed in metaphase II. The first results obtained by performing peptide mass fingerprinting using MALDI-Tof showed that members of the family of heat-shock proteins, ribosomal proteins and putative zinc finger proteins (transcription regulators) were differently expressed or phosphorylated during IVM. This work was supported by the DFG, To 178/1-1, 2 and by the Eibl-Stiftung. Developmental competence of in vitro-produced porcine embryos appears to be limited by specific maternally inherited cytoplasmic factors. We previously reported a relationship between mitochondria distribution during IVM, energy status, and oocyte developmental ability after parthenogenetic activation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the timing of mitochondria relocation during meiosis and the possible relationship with cytoskeleton organization in high and low competence oocytes. To t...