NCBI Summary:
This gene encodes a component of the WASH complex, which functions in the intracellular transport of endosomes. Mutations in this gene have been detected in individuals with autosomal recessive mental retardation. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Jun 2014]
General function
Cytoskeleton, Actin binding
Comment
Cellular localization
Plasma membrane
Comment
Ovarian function
, First polar body extrusion
Comment
WASH complex regulates Arp2/3 complex for actin-based polar body extrusion in mouse oocytes. Wang F 2014 et al.
Prior to their fertilization, oocytes undergo asymmetric division, which is regulated by actin filaments. Recently, WASH complex were identified as actin nucleation promoting factors (NPF) that activated Arp2/3 complex. However, the roles of WASH complex remain uncertain, particularly for oocyte polarization and asymmetric division. Here, we examined the functions of two important subunits of a WASH complex, WASH1 and Strumpellin, during mouse oocyte meiosis. Depleting WASH1 or disrupting Strumpellin activity by WASH1 morpholino (MO) injection or Strumpellin antibody injection decreased polar body extrusion and caused oocyte symmetric division, and this may have been due to spindle formation and migration defects. Time lapse microscopy showed that actin filaments distribution and relative amount at the membrane and in the cytoplasm of oocytes was significantly decreased after disrupting WASH complex. In addition, Arp2/3 complex expression was reduced after WASH1 depletion. Thus, our data indicated that WASH complex regulated Arp2/3 complex and were required for cytokinesis and following polar body extrusion during mouse oocyte meiotic maturation.
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