In vivo effects of microinjected alkaline phosphatase and its low molecular weight substrates on the first meiotic cell division in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Xenopus laevis oocytes were microinjected with low molecular weight phosphoesters such as 2-glycerophosphate, phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, 4-nitrophenyl phosphate, and orthophosphate. These compounds were able to induce a considerable reduction in the time course of progesterone-induced maturation, with 2-glycerophosphate being the most effective. The basal level of cAMP and its drop during maturation were not affected by the microinjection of 2-glycerophosphate. The injection of alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1.) from calf intestine at a low concentration (10 ng per oocyte) was able to decrease or abolish the effect of 2-glycerophosphate. At higher concentration (25 ng per oocyte) this enzyme totally blocked progesterone- or maturation-promoting factor-induced maturation. Alkaline phosphatase might behave in vivo as a phosphoprotein phosphatase active towards phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. In addition, our results indicate that phosphate or phosphoester-containing buffers should be avoided in the course of maturation-promoting factor purification.