Changes in enzyme activity of glycogen and hexose metabolism during oocyte maturation in a teleost,Misgurnus fossilis L.

The oocyte at the end of oogenesis, mature egg and developing embryo of the loachMisgurnus fossilis L.) are characterized by indentical enzyme profiles of the Embden-Meyerhof chain, pentose phosphate cycle and key gluconeogenic enzymes. However, the carbohydrate metabolism in the oocyte differs substantially from that in the embryo.Oocyte maturation is followed by a complete loss of hexokinase (EC2.7.1.1),2-fold decrease of glycogen synthetase (EC 2.4.1.11) and 10-fold increase of glycogen phosphorylase (EC2.4.1.1) activity. This process is correlated with a gradual decrease of the ATP/(ADP+AMP) ratio from 4∶1 to 2∶1 and increase of the Fructose-6-Phosphate/Fructose-1,6-Diphosphate ratio from 0.27 to 2.0. Thus, oocyte maturation involves a number of changes in control mechanisms resulting in cessation of glycogen accumulation and a transition of carbohydrate metabolism from gluconeogenesis to glycogenolysis.