The chromosome passenger complex is required for fidelity of chromosome transmission and cytokinesis in meiosis of mouse oocytes.

ABSTRACT: The existence of two forms of the chromosome passenger complex (CPC) in the mammalian oocyte has meant that its role in female meiosis has remained unclear. Here we use loss- and gain-of function approaches to assess the meiotic functions of one of the shared components of these complexes, INCENP, and of the variable kinase subunits, Aurora B or Aurora C. We show that either the depletion of INCENP or the combined inhibition of Aurora kinases B and C activates the anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) before chromosomes have properly congressed in meiosis I and also prevents cytokinesis and hence extrusion of the first polar body. Overexpression of Aurora C also advances APC/C activation and results in cytokinesis failure in a high proportion of oocytes, indicative of a dominant effect on CPC function. Together, this points to roles for the meiotic CPC in functions similar to the mitotic roles of the complex: correcting chromosome attachment to microtubules, facilitating the spindle-assembly checkpoint (SAC) function and enabling cytokinesis. Surprisingly, overexpression of Aurora B leads to a failure of APC/C activation, stabilization of securin and consequently a failure of chiasmate chromosomes to resolve - a dominant phenotype that is completely suppressed by depletion of INCENP. Taken together with the differential distribution of Aurora proteins B and C on chiasmate chromosomes, this points to differential functions of the two forms of CPC in regulating the separation of homologous chromosomes in meiosis I.

SUBMITTER: Sharif B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2995614 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature