Mammalian oocytes are notoriously prone to chromosome segregation errors leading to aneuploidy. The spindle provides the machinery for accurate chromosome segregation during cell division. Mammalian oocytes lack centrioles and, therefore, mouse meiotic spindle relies on the organization of numerous acentriolar microtubule organizing centers into two poles (polar microtubule organizing centers, pMTOCs). The traditional view is that, in mammalian oocytes, microtubules are the sole cytoskeletal component responsible for regulating pMTOC organization and spindle assembly. We identify a previously unrecognized F-actin pool that surrounds pMTOCs, forming F-actin cage-like structure. We demonstrate that F-actin localization on the spindle depends on unconventional myosins X and VIIb. Selective disruption of spindle-localized F-actin, using myosin X/VIIb knockdown oocytes or photoswitchable Optojasp-1, perturbs pMTOC organization, leading to unfocused spindle poles and chromosome missegregation. Here, we unveil an important function of spindle-localized F-actin in regulating pMTOC organization, a critical process for ensuring the fidelity of meiotic spindle formation and proper chromosome segregation.

Department of Chemistry University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia PA USA

Department of Gynaecology Obstetrics and Neonatology 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital Prague Prague Czech Republic

Department of Zoology Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Division of Animal Sciences University of Missouri Columbia MO USA

Division of Biology and Biological Engineering California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USA

Friedrich Schiller Universität Institut für Organische Chemie und Makromolekulare Chemie Jena Germany

Laboratory of Reproductive Biology Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences BIOCEV Vestec Czech Republic

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bioRxiv. 2025 May 11:2025.05.07.652730. doi: 10.1101/2025.05.07.652730. PubMed

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