Effects of PKC zeta on early genome transcription activation in mouse 1-cell stage fertilized eggs.

Effects of PKC zeta on the activation of embryonic transcription in 1-cell stage fertilized mouse eggs were explored. The effects of PKC antagonist calphostin C and PKC zeta specific inhibitor on the activation of embryonic early transcription were observed by Western blotting and cell immunofluorescence. PKC activity increased gradually from G1 phase to late G2 phase in mouse 1-cell stage fertilized eggs, and reached a maximum in G2 stage. Calphostin C inhibited PKC activity by about 47% in 1-cell stage fertilized eggs. Calphostin C inhibited early transcription in 1-cell stage fertilized eggs (p < 0.01). PKC zeta-Thr410 in G2 were about 27% and 110% higher than those in G1 phase of 1-cell stage fertilized eggs and MII oocytes, respectively. PKC zeta specific inhibitor can also inhibit early transcription in 1-cell stage fertilized eggs (p < 0.05). The results suggest that PKC zeta participates in early transcription activation in mouse 1-cell stage fertilized eggs. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.