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Molecular and Cellular Biology, April 2009, p. 1786-1795, Vol. 29, No. 7
0270-7306/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/MCB.01815-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Antiapoptotic Role for Ornithine Decarboxylase during Oocyte Maturation{triangledown}

Yong Zhou,1 Chunqi Ma,1 Jennifer Karmouch,1,2 Hadia Arabi Katbi,1,2 and X. Johné Liu1,2,3*

Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, 725 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa K1Y 4E9, Canada,1 Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology,2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada3

Received 28 November 2008/ Returned for modification 7 January 2009/ Accepted 14 January 2009

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, is a nonredundant and essential gene in all eukaryotes. During the mitotic cell cycle, ODC exhibits two activity peaks: one at the G1/S transition and one during the G2/M transition. The physiological role of this cell cycle-dependent ODC activity dynamic is not clear. Previous studies have reported a significant elevation of ODC activity during Xenopus oocyte maturation, which resembles mitotic G2/M transition. In order to study the roles of ODC activity in the oocytes, we utilized antisense morpholino (xODC mo) oligonucleotides to inhibit ODC translation. We report here that xODC mo abolished ODC activity increase during oocyte maturation. xODC mo-injected oocytes underwent germinal vesicle breakdown, emitted the first polar body, and reached metaphase II, thus completing nuclear maturation. However, the metaphase II oocytes exhibited high levels of reactive oxygen species and became apoptotic. When transferred to host frogs and subsequently ovulated, these eggs were fertilized but exhibited embryo fragmentation. Translation of ODC is therefore integral to cytoplasmic maturation, protecting metaphase II oocytes from reactive oxygen species-induced apoptosis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus, 1053 Carling Avenue, Ottawa K1Y 4E9, Canada. Phone: (613) 798-5555, ext. 17752. Fax: (613) 761-5411. E-mail: jliu{at}ohri.ca

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 21 January 2009.

Molecular and Cellular Biology, April 2009, p. 1786-1795, Vol. 29, No. 7
0270-7306/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/MCB.01815-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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