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Essential CDK1-inhibitory role for separase during meiosis I in vertebrate oocytes

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Abstract

Separase not only triggers anaphase of meiosis I by proteolytic cleavage of cohesin on chromosome arms, but in vitro vertebrate separase also acts as a direct inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) on liberation from the inhibitory protein, securin. Blocking separase–Cdk1 complex formation by microinjection of anti-separase antibodies prevents polar-body extrusion in vertebrate oocytes. Importantly, proper meiotic maturation is rescued by chemical inhibition of Cdk1 or expression of Cdk1-binding separase fragments lacking cohesin-cleaving activity.

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Figure 1: Block of polar-body extrusion by anti-separase antibody can be reversed by simultaneous inhibition of Cdk1.

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Acknowledgements

We thankS. Jentsch for continuous support and A. Straßer for technical assistance. This work was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG; Emmy-Noether-Program) to O.S. and from The Wellcome Trust (Project 075744) to K.T.J. O.S. also received a career development award (CDA) from the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization.

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Correspondence to Keith T. Jones or Olaf Stemmann.

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Supplementary figure S1 and Supplementary Method. (PDF 321 kb)

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Gorr, I., Reis, A., Boos, D. et al. Essential CDK1-inhibitory role for separase during meiosis I in vertebrate oocytes. Nat Cell Biol 8, 1035–1037 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1467

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