Regulation of Xenopus oocyte meiosis arrest by G protein βγ subunits

Background: Progesterone induces the resumption of meiosis (maturation) Addresses: *Loeb Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa K1Y 4E9, Canada. in Xenopus oocytes through a nongenomic mechanism involving inhibition † Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and of an oocyte adenylyl cyclase and reduction of intracellular cAMP. However, Immunology, ‡ Department of Medicine, progesterone action in Xenopus oocytes is not blocked by pertussis toxin, and § Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, this finding indicates that the inhibition of the oocyte adenylyl cyclase is not and ¶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N mediated by the a subunits of classical Gi-type G proteins. 6N5, Canada.