Mouse oocyte meiosis is disturbed by knockdown of Suv4-20h

Suv4-20h was initially characterised as a histone methyltransferase (HMTase) that catalyses lysine 20 of histone H4 dimethylation (H4K20me2) and trimethylation (H4K20me3). In the present study, using RNA interference (RNAi), we found that Suv4-20h activity is required for the fidelity of chromosome distribution during meiosis in the mammalian oocyte. Knockdown of Suv4-20h resulted in attenuation of H4K20me3 and the accumulation of H4K20me1. After Suv4-20h knockdown, oocytes exhibited an increasing percentage of aberrant chromosome alignment in MI, together with a decreasing percentage of polar body I extrusion. We conclude that Suv4-20h may be required for normal chromosome behaviour and that it is crucial for proper meiotic progression in mammalian oocytes.