title: Rab6a is a novel regulator of meiotic apparatus and maturational progression in mouse oocytes.
abstract: Rab family GTPases have been well known to regulate intracellular vesicle transport, however their function in mammalian oocytes has not been addressed. In this study, we report that when Rab6a is specifically knockdown, mouse oocytes are unable to progress normally through meiosis, arresting at metaphase I. Moreover, in these oocytes, the defects of chromosome alignment and spindle organization are readily observed during maturation, and resultantly increasing the aneuploidy incidence. We further reveal that kinetochore-microtubule attachments are severely compromised in Rab6a-depleted oocytes, which may in part mediate the meiotic phenotypes described above. In addition, when Rab6a function is altered, BubR1 levels on the kinetochores are markedly increased in metaphase oocytes, indicating the activation of spindle assembly checkpoint. In sum, we identify Rab6a as an important player in modulating oocyte meiosis, specifically the chromosome/spindle organization and metaphase-anaphase transition.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jiaqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.|Center of Reproductive Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Rujun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Longsen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000782:Aneuploidy; D000818:Animals; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism*; D059566:M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000235:genetics*; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000235:genetics*; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C584278:Bub1b protein, mouse; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C094135:Rab6 protein; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins