Phosphorylation of DNA ligase I has been analyzed during Xenopus laevis early development. The enzyme, which is involved in DNA replication and DNA repair events, is accumulated during oogenesis to reach a maximum in the stage VI oocyte, and remains at a constant level during maturation. When maturation of the oocyte is induced (in vivo or in vitro), this leads to a post-translational modification of the protein. In stage VI oocytes, a DNA ligase I of apparent molecular mass 180 kDa is detected immunologically whereas a 190-kDa form is found in unfertilized eggs and persists until the tadpole stage. This modification is due to phosphorylation performed by a protein kinase that is turned on 3-4 h after induction of the maturation. Activation of the kinase requires protein synthesis, and appearance of phosphorylated DNA ligase coincides with activation of histone H1 kinase activity. Induction of DNA ligase I modification and maturation are induced in the absence of protein synthesis following injection of maturation promoting factor into oocytes. Immunoprecipitated oocyte DNA ligase I is phosphorylated and its molecular mass modified by purified cyclin B/p34cdc2 in vitro. DNA ligase I phosphorylation is not induced in oocyte extract where only mitogen-activated-protein kinase is induced. Phosphorylation of DNA ligase I induced by cdc2 kinase occurs at the time new DNA replication and recombination activities appear in eggs.