Abstract
The generation of mature and healthy oocytes is the most critical event in the entire female reproductive process, and the mechanisms regulating this process remain to be studied. Here, we demonstrate that Smith-like (LSM) family member 14B (LSM14B) regulates oocyte maturation, and the loss of LSM14B in mouse ovaries leads to abnormal oocyte MII arrest and female infertility. Next, we find the aberrant transcriptional activation, indicated by abnormal non-surrounded nucleolus and surrounded nucleolus oocyte proportions, and abnormal chromosome assembly and segregation in Lsm14b-deficient mouse oocytes. The global transcriptome analysis suggests that many transcripts involved in cytoplasmic processing body (P-body) function are altered in Lsm14b-deficient mouse oocytes. Deletion of Lsm14b results in the expression and/or localization changes of P-body components (such as LSM14A, DCP1A, and 4E-T). Notably, DDX6, a key component of the P-body, is downregulated and accumulates in the nuclei in Lsm14b-deficient mouse oocytes. Taken together, our data suggest that LSM14B links mouse oocyte maturation to female fertility through the regulation of the P-body.