title: Diacylglycerol content of Chaetopterus oocytes during maturation and fertilization.
abstract: The resumption of meiotic maturation in Chaetopterus oocytes is believed to be initiated by activation of protein kinase C (pkC). Since the physiological activator of pkC is diacylglycerol (DG), we examined the DG content of the oocytes before and during germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Unstimulated oocytes contained 366 +/- 34 fmol DG per cell. This value increased to approximately 430-500 fmol 3-5 min after normal induction of GVBD and declined thereafter to 147 +/- 7 fmol per cell. Fertilization increased the DG levels slightly, 3-5 min after insemination. These results strongly support the hypothesis that pkC is a physiological activator of GVBD in this species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059.
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Eckberg
authors.forename: E Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Szuts
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004075:Diglycerides / Q000032:analysis*; D005306:Fertilization; D016200:Maturation-Promoting Factor / Q000502:physiology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000502:physiology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004075:Diglycerides; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D016200:Maturation-Promoting Factor