PROFILE OF PROTEIN-KINASE-C ISOZYMES AND THEIR POSSIBLE ROLE IN MAMMALIAN EGG ACTIVATION

Western blot analysis was used to investigate protein kinase C (PKC) p rofile of rat eggs. The presence of eight PKC isozymes was demonstrate d: conventional PKC alpha, beta and gamma; novel PKC delta, epsilon an d mu; atypical PKC zeta and lambda. PKC alpha was detected by RT-PCR a s well, PKC translocation from the cytosol to the plasma membrane serv ed as a marker for enzyme activation. Immunofluorescence confocal micr oscopy demonstrated a relatively uniform distribution of PKC alpha, be ta I, and beta II throughout the cytosol of metaphase II arrested eggs . PKC accumulation at the plasma membrane was detected 5 min after exp osure to 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate and increased with time , thus demonstrating activation of these PKCs, (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.