Transgenic zebrafish reveals novel mechanisms of translational control of cyclin B1 mRNA in oocytes

Temporal translation control of localized mRNA is crucial for regulating various cellular and developmental processes. However, little is known about the mechanisms of temporal translation control of localized mRNA due to the limitation in technology. cyclin B1 mRNA at the animal polar cytoplasm of immature zebrafish oocytes is translationally repressed, and its activation is temporally regulated during maturation. Mechanisms of cyclin B1 translation in oocytes were analyzed using transgenic zebrafish in which reporter mRNAs are produced from transgenes introduced into the genome through transcription in the nucleus followed by transport to the cytoplasm, as in endogenous mRNAs. Real-time imaging of the site and timing of translation showed that mRNAs containing the full-length cyclin B1 sequence precisely mimic the localization and translation of endogenous cyclin B1 mRNA. However, mRNAs containing cyclin B1 3′ untranslated region but lacking open reading frame (ORF) underwent abnormal localization and precocious translational activation, indicating the significance of the ORF in translational control of cyclin B1 mRNA. Our genetic approach in combination with real-time imaging of the translation site and timing provides a novel insight into the mechanisms of temporal control of translation.