Effect of enucleation on protein synthesis during maturation of bovine oocytes in vitro

The role of the nucleus in protein synthesis reprogramming during oocyte maturation was examined in immature or mature bovine oocytes, enucleated at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage or the metaphase II (MII) stage. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were denuded before or after maturation in vitro. Denuded oocytes were (i) enucleated at the GV or MII stage (after DNA staining and ultraviolet (UV) exposure), (ii) stained and exposed to UV but not enucleated, or (iii) used as controls. After treatment, oocytes were labelled for 4 h with 35S-methionine or were matured for 24 h before labelling. GV- or MII- karyoplasts and small portions of cytoplasm (cytoplasts), removed during enucleation, were also labelled. Labelled oocytes, karyoplasts or cytoplasts were prepared for one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Incorporation of labelled methionine into oocyte protein was measured. Enucleation did not affect protein synthesis reprogramming, but incorporation of 35S-methionine in immature UV-stained oocytes was high--possibly due to nuclear repair mechanisms. Protein profiles of GV- and MII- karyoplasts differed from those of immature and mature oocytes. In conclusion, normal protein synthesis reprogramming in the cytoplasm can occur in the absence of the nucleus, and specific proteins are synthesized in the nuclear region.