The oocyte spindle midzone pauses Cdk1 inactivation during fertilization to enable male pronuclear formation and embryo development

Inactivation of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), controlled by cyclin B1 proteolysis, orders events during mitotic exit. Here, we used a FRET biosensor to study Cdk1 activity while simultaneously monitoring anaphase II and pronuclear (PN) formation in live mouse eggs throughout fertilization. We find that Cdk1 inactivation occurs over two phases separated by a 3-h pause, the first induces anaphase II and the second induces PN formation. Although both phases require the inhibitory Cdk1 kinase Wee1B, only the first involves cyclin B1 proteolysis. Enforcing the 3-h pause is critical for providing the delay required for male PN formation and is mediated by spindle midzone-dependent sequestration of Wee1B between the first and second phases. Thus, unlike continuous Cdk1 inactivation driven by cyclin B1 proteolysis during mitotic exit, MII oocytes engineer a physiologically important pause during fertilization involving two different pathways to inactivate Cdk1, only the first of which requires proteolysis.

Automated summary

During fertilization in mice, Cdk1 activity, cell division, and pronuclear formation go through two pauses, with the first pause triggering cell division and the second pause triggering pronuclear formation. Both pauses require the inhibitory Cdk1 kinase Wee1B, but only the first pause involves the degradation of cyclin B1.