Luca JovineJun 12, 2023

In this work, we combine #crystallography, #cryoEM, #AlphaFold predictions, biochemical and mouse studies to unveil the 3D structure of vertebrate egg coat filaments and describe how cleavage of their #ZP2 subunit hardens the coat, establishing a permanent block to #polyspermy.

A very big thank you to all co-authors, collaborators, and funding bodies for making this possible!

PLOS BiologyJun 9, 2023
Release of cortical granules at #oocyte surface is critical for preventing #polyspermy. @ShamipourShayan @HeisenbergCPLab show that in #zebrafish this is driven by the concerted action of yolk granule fusion & #microtubule aster contraction #PLOSBiology https://plos.io/3oTs9hE
Yolk granule fusion and microtubule aster formation regulate cortical granule translocation and exocytosis in zebrafish oocytes

The localization and release of cortical granules at the oocyte surface constitutes a critical step in oocyte maturation in preventing polyspermy. This study shows that in zebrafish oocytes this process is driven by the concerted activities of yolk granule fusion and microtubule aster contraction.