Levels of microtubules during the meiotic maturation of the Xenopus oocyte.

The total level of tubulin and the ratio of polymeric tubulin to tubulin dimer were measured by a colchicine filter-binding assay during meiotic maturation of the Xenopus oocyte. Although the total level of tubulin remains unchanged (0.12 +/- 0.03 micrograms/oocyte), the level of polymeric tubulin decreases during maturation (25% in prophase oocytes versus 20% in metaphase oocytes). The percentage of polymerized tubulin was estimated after drug (nocodazole and taxol) treatments and cold treatment in prophase and progesterone-matured oocytes; in all cases the microtubules present in mature oocyte are less stable than prophase microtubules. The presence of the nucleus modifies neither the level nor the stability of prophase microtubules. Our quantitative results as well as cytological arguments suggest that full-grown Xenopus oocytes may contain a cortical microtubular array.