Proteomic analysis of surface protein dynamics during mammalian oocyte activation.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06686
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Satouh Yuhkoh 群馬大学, 生体調節研究所, 准教授 (40545571)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 受精 / プロテオミクス / イメージング / タンパク質分解 / 卵子活性化 / 初期発生

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, the decline in oocyte quality, especially due to ageing, attracts interest. In this study, proteomic analyses to comprehensively elucidate the proteins in unfertilized and post-fertilized mouse oocytes was carried out. Furthermore, analysis of their dynamics and its molecular mechanism were conducted to examine their significance on oocyte quality.
During this study, basic composition and dynamic changes of the oocyte protein composition were clarified. By combining these results with extremely-low invasive observation, novel degradation mechanisms of proteins on the embryonic plasma membrane that are lost from the embryo surface after fertilization was elucidated. Moreover, this degradation was proven to be essential for the healthy development of the mammalian embryo. This is the first identification of causal link between relatively accessible embryo surface factors and embryo quality, and is expected to lead to future developments in both basic and applied aspects.

Free Research Field

生殖生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、マウス未受精卵や受精後卵といった活性化前後の卵について定量プロテオミクス解析を行った。存在量が高く受精能を決定づけるタンパク質の詳細な機能解析を推進しつつ、胚の質の理解にむけ、胚の表面タンパク質の胚発生中の動態について動態解析を行った。この結果、受精必須因子であるCD9が細胞膜に曲率をもたらしていることを発見した。また、胚表面の胚発生に関与するタンパク質群がPKC酵素活性とタンパク質のユビキチン化依存的に胚表面から細胞内の分解機構に輸送され、これが胚発生にとって重要であることを発見した。これは、受精の直後に胚の質を検定する新たな手法の概念に通じる。