EZH2 is required for mouse oocyte meiotic maturation by interacting with and stabilizing spindle assembly checkpoint protein BubRI

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) trimethylates histone H3 Lys 27 and plays key roles in a variety of biological processes. Stability of spindle assembly checkpoint protein BubR1 is essential for mitosis in somatic cells and for meiosis in oocytes. However, the role of EZH2 in oocyte meiotic maturation was unknown. Here, we presented a mechanism underlying EZH2 control of BubR1 stability in the meiosis of mouse oocytes. We identified a methyltransferase activity-independent function of EZH2 by demonstrating that EZH2 regulates spindle assembly and the polar body I extrusion. EZH2 was increased with the oocyte progression from GVBD to MII, while EZH2 was concentrated on the chromosomes. Interestingly, inhibition of EZH2 methyltranferase activity by DZNep or GSK343 did not affect oocyte meiotic maturation. However, depletion of EZH2 by morpholino led to chromosome misalignment and abnormal spindle assembly. Furthermore, ectopic expression of EZH2 led to oocyte meiotic maturation arrested at the MI stage followed by chromosome misalignment and aneuploidy. Mechanistically, EZH2 directly interacted with and stabilized BubR1, an effect driving EZH2 into the concert of meiosis regulation. Collectively, we provided a paradigm that EZH2 is required for mouse oocyte meiotic maturation.