MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 is required for mouse meiotic spindle assembly and kinetochore-microtubule attachment

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 5; no. 6; p. e11247
• Main Authors: Yuan, Ju, Xu, Bao-Zeng, Qi, Shu-Tao, Tong, Jing-Shan, Wei, Liang, Li, Mo, Ouyang, Ying-Chun, Hou, Yi, Schatten, Heide, Sun, Qing-Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 28-06-2010; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Accessories; Animals; Biology; Cell Biology/Cell Growth and Division; Cell Biology/Cell Signaling; Cell Biology/Cytoskeleton; Cell Biology/Gene Expression; Cell cycle; Cell division; Chromatids; Chromosomes; Cold spinning; Cold treatment; Drosophila; Homology; Insects; Kinases; Kinetochores - metabolism; Laboratories; Localization; MAP kinase; MAP Kinase Kinase 2 - metabolism; Meiosis; Metaphase; Mice; Microtubules; Microtubules - metabolism; Mitosis; Nocodazole - pharmacology; Nondisjunction; Nondisjunction, Genetic; Oocytes; Oocytes - cytology; Oocytes - drug effects; Paclitaxel - pharmacology; Phosphorylation; Physiological aspects; Protein kinase; Protein kinases; Proteins; Signal transduction; Sister chromatids; Spindle Apparatus; Spindles; Subcellular Fractions - enzymology; Zoology; Beijing China; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011247

MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2), a direct substrate of p38 MAPK, plays key roles in multiple physiological functions in mitosis. Here, we show for the first time the unique distribution pattern of MK2 in meiosis. Phospho-MK2 was localized on bipolar spindle minus ends and along the interstitial axes of homologous chromosomes extending over centromere regions and arm regions at metaphase of first meiosis (MI stage) in mouse oocytes. At metaphase of second meiosis (MII stage), p-MK2 was localized on the bipolar spindle minus ends and at the inner centromere region of sister chromatids as dots. Knockdown or inhibition of MK2 resulted in spindle defects. Spindles were surrounded by irregular nondisjunction chromosomes, which were arranged in an amphitelic or syntelic/monotelic manner, or chromosomes detached from the spindles. Kinetochore-microtubule attachments were impaired in MK2-deficient oocytes because spindle microtubules became unstable in response to cold treatment. In addition, homologous chromosome segregation and meiosis progression were inhibited in these oocytes. Our data suggest that MK2 may be essential for functional meiotic bipolar spindle formation, chromosome segregation and proper kinetochore-microtubule attachments.