The formin protein mDia2 serves as a marker of spindle pole dynamics in vitrified-warmed mouse oocytes

PLoS One. 2013 Sep 19;8(9):e75729. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075729. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

The mouse diaphanous 2 (mDia2) protein belongs to the formin family and has been shown to nucleate actin filaments and stabilize microtubules, thus indicating a role in cytoskeleton organization. Our previous study, which showed that mDia2 specifically localizes to spindle poles of metaphase I mouse oocytes and NIH3T3 cells, provided the first evidence of its spindle pole-associated cellular function. In the present study, we aim to determine whether spindle pole proteins, such as mDia2 and pericentrin, can be used to monitor the status of spindle poles in cryopreserved mouse oocytes. We show herein that mDia2 exhibits an overlapping distribution with pericentrin, which is a crucial component of centrosomes and microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs). In vitrified-warmed oocytes, the overlapping distribution of mDia2 and pericentrin was immediately detected after thawing, thereby suggesting that mDia2 maintains a tight association with the spindle pole machinery. Interestingly, we observed that microtubules extend from mDia2 clusters in cytoplasmic MTOCs after thawing. This result suggests that mDia2 is a major MTOC component that is closely associated with pericentrin and that it plays a role in microtubule growth from MTOCs. Collectively, our results provide evidence that mDia2 is a novel marker of spindle pole dynamics before and after cryopreservation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens / metabolism
  • Cryopreservation
  • Female
  • Mice
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Microtubules / metabolism
  • NADPH Dehydrogenase / metabolism*
  • Oocytes / cytology
  • Oocytes / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Transport
  • Spindle Apparatus / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • pericentrin
  • Dia2 protein, mouse
  • NADPH Dehydrogenase

Grants and funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Korea Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI12C0055) (https://www.htdream.kr/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.