Oocytes are female germ cells that become eggs. They have the remarkable ability to survive for long periods of time, up to 50 years in humans, while retaining the ability to give rise to a new organism. We know surprisingly little about the molecular mechanisms through which oocytes alleviate cellular ageing, and why such mechanisms eventually fail with advanced age. In this talk, I will discuss two recent discoveries that address two issues that oocytes face during their long life. I will illustrate how oocytes limit damage by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by dispensing with mitochondrial complex I. I will also illustrate how oocytes deal with protein aggregation by sequestering aggregates in large non-membrane-bound compartments that we named Endo-Lysosomal Vesicular Assemblies (ELVAs). These discoveries demonstrate the range of distinct adaptations of oocyte metabolism and proteome to accommodate the long oocyte lifespan.

• Speaker: Elvan Boke, Group Leader, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
• Tuesday 07 May 2024, 16:00-17:00
• Venue: In person in the Max Perutz Lecture Theatre (CB2 0QH) and via Zoom, link: https://mrc-lmb-cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/92134536179?pwd=bHVnRkpmamhnWWY2bXpVMHAyblhlZz09.
• Series: MRC LMB Seminar Series; organiser: Scientific Meetings Co-ordinator.