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Fig. 1. XMAP230 is present in Xenopus oocytes, eggs,
embryos, and some adult tissues. Coomassie Blue-stained
(CBB) SDS-PAGE gels (A) and immunoblots with anti-
XMAP230 (B) revealed that XMAP230 was enriched in the
MT fractions (CS1 and CS2) and the heat-stable MAP fraction
(HSS) from Xenopus eggs (arrowheads indicate XMAP230).
Little or no XMAP230 was detectable in the warm
supernatants (WS1 and WS2) by CBB or immunoblotting. XMAP230 was detected by specific antibody in the cytoplasmic extract (B; Extr).
Non-immune rabbit serum did not recognize any proteins in the cytoplasmic extract (B; NRS). Asterisks in A and B denote a proteolytic
fragment of XMAP230. (C) Comparable amounts of soluble protein from oocytes, eggs, and early embryos (stage 7, mid-blastula; stage 12,
early neural plate; stage 24, early tailbud; stage 41, tadpole) were separated by SDS-PAGE and blotted with anti-XMAP230 (XMAP230; top
panel) or anti-a-tubulin (bottom panel). (D) Comparable amounts of total soluble protein from adult tissues were separated by SDS-PAGE and
blotted with anti-XMAP230 or monoclonal anti-a-tubulin. XMAP230 was readily detected in egg, brain, and testis. Longer exposures of the
autoradiogram revealed lesser amounts of XMAP230 in intestine and lung (not shown; see text).
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Fig. 2. XMAP230 antibodies stain
MTs during early oogenesis. (A) The
MT network of interphase oogonia
was brightly stained by anti-
XMAP230 (arrow points to the
centrosome). (B) XMAP230 staining
was concentrated in the cytoplasm
(asterisk) of post-mitotic (stage 0)
oocytes, but the density of the MT
array prevented resolution of
individual MTs (see text).
(C) However, staining of individual
MTs with anti-XMAP230 was readily
apparent in stage 0 oocytes subjected
to MT disassembly and regrowth (see
text; arrow denotes the centrosome; N,
nucleus). (D) MTs in an early stage I
oocyte (50-75 mm in diameter) were
faintly stained with XMAP230
antibody (GV denotes the germinal
vesicle, or oocyte nucleus). (E) MTs
of late stage I oocytes (>100 mm in
diameter) were not detectably stained
by anti-XMAP230. (F) Anti-a-tubulin
revealed extensive MT arrays in
oocytes of this size. (G) Radiallyoriented
MTs were apparent in stage
III oocytes stained by anti-a-tubulin.
(H) MTs in stage III oocytes were not
detectably stained by anti-XMAP230.
Note that follicle cells surrounding
stage I-III oocytes in D, E, and H were
intensely stained by anti-XMAP230
(arrows in E and H). Bars: 5 mm (AC),
10 mm (D), and 25 mm (E-H).
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Fig. 3. XMAP230 is associated with MTs in stage VI oocytes. (A-C) This stage VI oocyte was stained with both anti-XMAP230 (A; green
channel in C) and monoclonal anti-a-tubulin (B; red channel in C). Many individual MTs were stained with both anti-XMAP230 and antitubulin,
and appear yellow in the merged image (arrows in C). Close examination reveals the punctate distribution of anti-XMAP230 along
some MTs, which exhibit patches of red in the merged image (arrows in insets; insets 1 and 2 are enlargements of the region within the dotted
rectangle in C, and are projections of 2 and 4 optical sections, respectively). (D-F) Localization of XMAP230 along acetylated MTs was also
apparent in oocytes stained with anti-XMAP230 (D and green channel in F) and antibodies specific for acetylated a-tubulin (E and red channel
in F). XMAP230 was distributed in patches of variable length along some acetylated MTs. The inset in F shows the region boxed with a dotted
line at higher magnification. Acetylated MTs with patches of XMAP230 are indicated with arrows. A small number of MTs stained by anti-
XMAP230 were not detectably stained by anti-acetylated a-tubulin (large arrowheads in D-F). Figures are projections of 4-5 serial optical
sections collected at 0.5 mm intervals. Bars, 25 mm.
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Fig. 4. XMAP230 is associated
with the MTOC-transient MT
array and meiotic spindles
during oocyte maturation, but
not with cytoplasmic MTs. The
MTOC-TMA complex of this
Xenopus oocyte was stained by
antibodies to both anti-
XMAP230 (A, arrows) and
acetylated a-tubulin (B). The
second meiotic spindle was
brightly stained by anti-
XMAP230 (C). The brightly
stained bundles of MTs in the
central spindle (arrows in C)
probably correspond to
kinetochore fibers. Note the lack
of staining of cytoplasmic MTs.
Anti-a-tubulin stained both the
second meiotic spindle (D) and
surrounding cytoplasmic MTs
(arrowheads). (E-G) A
substantial population of
cytoplasmic MTs coexists with
the MTOC-TMA and spindles
during oocyte maturation (E-G
are from early meiosis I). These
cytoplasmic MTs were readily
apparent in oocytes stained with
anti-a-tubulin (E), but were not
stained with either anti-
XMAP230 (F) or anti-acetylated
a-tubulin (G). Bars: 25 mm
(A,B,E,F,G); 10 mm (C and D).
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Fig. 5. Microinjection of anti-XMAP230 antibodies locally depletes cytoplasmic XMAP230 in stage VI oocytes. (A-B) Immunofluorescence
microscopy of XMAP230 antibody-injected oocytes stained with anti-XMAP230 antibodies and fluorescent secondary antibody revealed that
XMAP230 antibodies locally depleted cytoplasmic XMAP230 near the injection site (A; asterisk). XMAP230 and the injected antibody form
multiple insoluble aggregates (arrows in A), and no MT staining is observed. MT-bound XMAP230 is apparent outside of the region occupied
by the injected antibody (arrowheads in A), and in the uninjected side (B) of the same oocyte. (C-D) MT-bound XMAP230 is apparent in both
the injected (C) or uninjected (D) sides of another oocyte injected with non-immune rabbit IgG. Bars, 25 mm.
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Fig. 6. Microinjection of anti-
XMAP230 disrupts MT
organization and acetylation in
stage VI oocytes. (A) A low
magnification view of an oocyte
fixed 12 to 18 hours after
microinjection of affinitypurified
anti-XMAP230, and
stained with monoclonal anti-a-
tubulin (red channel) to reveal
MTs and fluoresceinconjugated
anti-rabbit IgG
(green channel) to detect the
injected antibody. The injection
site (*) was easily recognizable
due to the presence of insoluble
antibody-antigen complexes
(seen better in B; arrows) and a
âringâ of injected antibody
bound to MTs. (B) Numerous
disordered MTs were apparent
in the injected side of another
oocyte stained for a-tubulin and
injected antibody. Near the
periphery of the injection site,
individual MTs were decorated
with the injected anti-
XMAP230 (arrowheads), and
thus appeared yellow. Arrows
denote brightly-stained
aggregates of injected
antibodies. (C) The MT array of
the uninjected side of the same
oocyte appeared unaffected.
(D) A low magnification view
of an oocyte fixed 12 hours
after injection of anti-
XMAP230, and stained to
reveal acetylated MTs (red
channel) and injected
XMAP230 antibody (green channel). Staining of acetylated MTs (red) on the injected side (*) was visibly reduced in intensity compared to the
uninjected side. (E) The staining intensity and number of acetylated MTs was visibly reduced in the region of injected antibody (*). Near the
margin of the injection site, individual MTs stained by anti-acetylated a-tubulin were also decorated with the injected XMAP230 antibodies
(arrowheads), and thus appeared yellow. (F) The organization and number of acetylated MTs in the uninjected side of the same oocyte appeared
unaffected. Bars, 25 mm.
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Fig. 7. Injection of anti-XMAP230 into stage VI oocytes inhibits MT acetylation during recovery from cold-induced MT depolymerization.
Stage VI oocytes injected with anti-XMAP230, were incubated at 0-2°C for 2 hours to depolymerize MTs, and were allowed to recover for 18
hours at room temperature prior to fixation for immunofluorescence microscopy. (A and B) Substantial MT assembly was apparent in both the
uninjected (A) and injected (B) sides of an oocyte stained with anti-a-tubulin. (C) Substantial numbers of acetylated MTs were apparent in the
uninjected side of an oocyte stained with 6-11B-1. (D) The intensity of staining and number of acetylated MTs stained by 6-11B-1 was visibly
reduced on the injected side of the same oocyte (* denotes the region of injected antibody; the approximate extent of antibody diffusion is
denoted by the dotted line). Bars, 25 mm.
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Fig. 8. Injection of anti-
XMAP230 disrupts the
assembly of the transient MT
array and meiotic spindles
during oocyte maturation.
(A and B) Injection of nonimmune
rabbit IgG had little
or no affect on the
organization of the MTOCTMA
(A) or first meiotic
spindle (B; shown in
transverse orientation, see
Gard, 1992). The injected
non-immune rabbit IgG did
not decorate either the MTOCTMA
or the meiotic spindle.
(C) Injection of anti-
XMAP230 disrupted the
organization of the MTOCTMA,
often resulting in the
apparent splitting of the
MTOC (arrowhead) or the
formation of large MT
aggregates (arrow).
(D) Injected oocytes
subsequently assembled
poorly organized MT aggregates or severely distorted spindles that were heavily stained by the injected antibodies. Oocytes in C and D were
stained with anti-acetylated a-tubulin (red channel) and fluorescein anti-rabbit (green channel) to show the injected antibody. Bars: 25 mm
(A and C); 10 mm (B and D).
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