Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39792558›Full record

ArticleCell reports2025

ERK activation dynamics in maturing oocyte controls embryonic nuclear divisions in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Han Bit Baek, Debabrata Das, Shin-Yu Chen, Hongyuan Li, Swathi Arur

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Han Bit BaekGenetics and Epigenetics Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.
Debabrata DasDepartment of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.
Shin-Yu ChenDepartment of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.
Hongyuan LiDepartment of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.
Swathi ArurGenetics and Epigenetics Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: sarur@mdanderson.org.

Funding

Enhancing and expanding the CGC Strain CollectionP40OD010440 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI Ann E. Rougvie · 2012 to 2026
$7.5M
How Post-Translational Codes and Small RNA Pathways Shape Developmental OutcomesR35GM140933 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI Swathi Arur · 2021 to 2026
$2.5M
NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM140933NIH HHS P40 OD010440
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

ERK activity oscillates between sustained activation during oocyte formation and transient inactivation during oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early embryogenesis. Consequences of ectopic ERK activity upon oocyte maturation and in early embryogenesis are unknown. We show, in Caenorhabditis elegans, that ectopic ERK activity upon oocyte maturation (metaphase I oocytes) results in embryos with abnormalities in nuclear divisions leading to embryonic death. We uncover that ERK directly phosphorylates Polo-like kinase I (PLK-1), on Serine 404, to inhibit nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) in early embryogenesis. The RAS/ERK/PLK-1 pathway poisons zygotic NEBD and inhibits the merging of parental genomes, underlining the importance of turning off ERK prior to embryogenesis. Given the conserved nature of both ERK signaling to oocyte development and PLK1 to embryonic divisions, this work has implications for women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) where ectopic ERK activation during superovulation through hormonal stimulation may diminish oocyte quality and influence zygotic development.

Indexed as

Caenorhabditis elegansCaenorhabditis elegans ProteinsCell Nucleus DivisionExtracellular Signal-Regulated MAP KinasesOocytesAnimalsCell Cycle ProteinsEmbryonic DevelopmentEmbryo, NonmammalianEnzyme ActivationFemaleMAP Kinase Signaling SystemPhosphorylationPolo-Like Kinase 1Protein Serine-Threonine KinasesProto-Oncogene ProteinsCaenorhabditis elegans ProteinsCell Cycle ProteinsExtracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinasesplk-1 protein, C elegansPolo-Like Kinase 1Protein Serine-Threonine KinasesProto-Oncogene ProteinsC. elegansCP: Cell biologyCP: Developmental biologyearly embryoERK signalingmeiosis INEBDoocyte fertilizationoocyte maturationoocyte-to-embryo transitionPLK-1RASopathies

Identifiers

PMID39792558
PMCPMC11874628

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.