title: Activation of MPF at meiosis reinitiation in starfish oocytes.
abstract: Although maturation or M-phase-promoting factor (MPF) was originally identified as a cytoplasmic activity responsible for induction of maturation or meiosis reinitiation in oocytes, MPF is now thought to be the universal trigger of G2/M-phase transition in all eukaryotic cells, and its activity is ascribed to cyclin B. Cdc2 kinase. Here, the activation process of cyclin B. Cdc2 at meiosis reinitiation in starfish oocytes is compared with that at G2/M-phase transition in mitotic somatic cells. Based on this comparison, the role of cyclin B. Cdc2 in the original cytoplasmic MPF activity is reexamined.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259, Yokohama, Midoriku, 226-8501, Japan. tkishimo@bio.titech.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D016200:Maturation-Promoting Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D008540:Meiosis / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013215:Starfish / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016200:Maturation-Promoting Factor