Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2026

09:16
Meiotic Spindle Assessment in Mouse Oocytes by siRNA-mediated Silencing
Published on: October 11, 2015
Mos activates MAP kinase in mouse oocytes through two opposite pathways
M H Verlhac1, C Lefebvre, J Z Kubiak
1Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire du Développement, UMR 7622, CNRS/Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 9 quai Saint Bernard-Bat. C-5, 75252 Paris, cedex 05, France.
The EMBO Journal
|November 18, 2000
Summary
Mos is crucial for mouse oocyte maturation, activating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) through both MEK1 activation and phosphatase inhibition. This study reveals Mos
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation is essential for mouse oocyte maturation.
- Mos, a MAPKKK, plays a key role in this process.
- The precise mechanism by which Mos activates MAPK remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether Mos activates MAPK solely through MEK1.
- To elucidate the role of Mos in regulating MAPK activity and oocyte maturation.
- To identify potential downstream effectors and regulatory pathways of Mos.
Main Methods:
- Microinjection of constitutively active MEK1 (MEK*) and Raf (DeltaRaf) into mouse oocytes.
- Analysis of MAPK activation and metaphase II arrest in wild-type and mos(-/-) oocytes.
- Assessment of oocyte maturation and cleavage arrest following microinjection.
- Inhibition of protein phosphatases using okadaic acid.
Main Results:
- MEK* and DeltaRaf failed to rescue MAPK activation and metaphase II arrest in mos(-/-) oocytes.
- Mos successfully rescued MAPK activation and metaphase II arrest in mos(-/-) oocytes.
- MEK* and DeltaRaf induced MAPK activation when protein phosphatases were inhibited.
- A MAPK phosphatase activity was identified in mouse oocytes, which Mos can overcome.
Conclusions:
- Active MAPKK or MAPKKK cannot substitute for Mos in activating MAPK in mouse oocytes.
- Mos activates MAPK through a dual pathway: activating MEK1 and inhibiting a phosphatase.
- Mos plays a critical role in regulating MAPK activity and ensuring proper oocyte maturation.
Related Concept Videos
Meiosis II
Meiosis II is the second and final stage of meiosis. It relies on the haploid cells produced during meiosis I, each of which contain only 23 chromosomes—one from each homologous initial pair. Importantly, each chromosome in these cells is composed of two joined copies, and when these cells enter meiosis II, the goal is to separate such sister chromatids using the same microtubule-based network employed in other division processes. The result of meiosis II is two haploid cells, each containing...
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis
Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
Meiosis II
Meiosis II entails cell division and segregation of the sister chromatids, resulting in the production of four unique haploid gametes. The steps for meiosis II are similar to mitosis, except that meiosis II occurs in haploid cells, whereas mitosis occurs in diploid cells.
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
MAPK Signaling Cascades
Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling
Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...

