Protein tyrosine kinase signaling during oocyte maturation and fertilization

Abstract

The oocyte is a highly specialized cell capable of accumulating and storing energy supplies as well as maternal transcripts and pre-positioned signal transduction components needed for zygotic development, undergoing meiosis under control of paracrine signals from the follicle, fusing with a single sperm during fertilization, and zygotic development. The oocyte accomplishes this diverse series of events by establishing an array of signal transduction pathway components that include a select collection of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) that are expressed at levels significantly higher than most other cell types. This array of PTKs includes cytosolic kinases such as SRC-family PTKs (FYN and YES), and FAK kinases, as well as FER. These kinases typically exhibit distinct patterns of localization and in some cases are translocated from one subcellular compartment to another during meiosis. Significant differences exist in the extent to which PTK-mediated pathways are used by oocytes from species that fertilize externally versus internally. The PTK activation profiles as well as calcium signaling pattern seems to correlate with the extent to which a rapid block to polyspermy is required by the biology of each species. Suppression of each of the SRC-family PTKs as well as FER kinase results in failure of meiotic maturation or zygote development, indicating that these PTKs are important for oocyte quality and developmental potential. Future studies will hopefully reveal the extent to which these factors impact clinical assisted reproductive techniques in domestic animals and humans.

Differential gene expression in pre-laying and laying period ovaries of Sichuan White geese (Anser cygnoides)

“…The oocyte is a highly specialized cell capable of accumulating and storing energy supplies, undergoing meiosis under control of paracrine signals from the follicle, fusing with a single sperm during fertilization, and zygotic development. The oocyte accomplishes this diverse series of events by establishing an array of signal transduction pathway components that include a select collection of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) that are expressed at levels significantly higher than in most other cell types, reflecting the highly specialized nature of this germ cell (McGinnis et al, 2011). In addition to the cell cycle machinery, recent studies have discovered that several PTKs play important roles in the processes of oocyte maturation and fertilization (McGinnis et al, 2011).…”

“…The oocyte accomplishes this diverse series of events by establishing an array of signal transduction pathway components that include a select collection of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) that are expressed at levels significantly higher than in most other cell types, reflecting the highly specialized nature of this germ cell (McGinnis et al, 2011). In addition to the cell cycle machinery, recent studies have discovered that several PTKs play important roles in the processes of oocyte maturation and fertilization (McGinnis et al, 2011). In addition, infertility can result from a wide range of defects, from behavioral, through germ cell development and maturation, to fertilization or embryo development.…”

Phospho-Signaling at Oocyte Maturation and Fertilization: Set Up for Embryogenesis and Beyond Part I. Protein Kinases

“…DNA microarray analysis demonstrates that Feline encephalitis virus (FES)-related tyrosine kinase protein, named FER, is highly expressed in oocytes of the mouse (McGinnis et al 2011a). It shows a uniform distribution in the ooplasm of small oocytes, but becomes concentrated in the germinal vesicle (GV) during oocyte growth.…”

Activation of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) at fertilization in Rhinella arenarum eggs

“…This array of NRPTKs includes kinases such as Src-family PTKs and FAK kinases, whose presence in oocytes have been described in several species (Sato et al, 1996;Giusti et al, 2000;Runft and Jaffe, 2000;Sharma and Kinsey, 2006;Townley et al, 2009;McGinnis et al, 2009;McGinnis et al, 2011;Kinsey, 2013). Usually, these kinases regulate their activity by phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in their own activation loops (Calalb et al, 1995;Xu et al, 1999;Roskoski, 2004;Grigera et al, 2005).…”

“…Due to the growing evidence indicating that members of the Src family protein tyrosine kinases are involved in oocyte signal transduction during fertilization, not only in all the species with external fertilization analyzed until now (Sato et al, 1996;Giusti et al, 2000;Runft and Jaffe, 2000;Sharma and Kinsey, 2006;Townley et al, 2009), but also in mammalian species, (McGinnis et al, 2009;McGinnis et al, 2011), we hypothesize that the Rhinella arenarum 60 kDa protein early tyrosine-phosphorylated after oocyte-sperm meeting belongs to the Src family of PTKs. However there is scarce information concerning a role for a 70 kDa tyrosine phosphorylated protein in the fertilization process of any species.…”