ATP-gamma-S (adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate] microinjection increases progesterone-stimulated histone kinase activity in Xenopus oocytes

Progesterone stimulates the activity of a potent Ca2+- and cyclic nucleotide-independent histone kinase in Xenopus oocytes. Microinjection of ATP-gamma-S during the course of meiotic maturation or after the oocytes had arrested at second meiotic metaphase resulted in a further increase of this histone kinase activity in progesterone-stimulated oocytes. ATP-gamma-S microinjection also increased and stabilized the activity of the maturation-promoting factor. The possible mechanism of ATP-gamma-S action is discussed.