A membrane protein was isolated from mouse sperm heads that had undergone acrosomal reaction induced by C2+ ionophore, A 23187, which, with a molecular weight of 77.6 kd, shows capability to block egg-sperm fusion. As...A membrane protein was isolated from mouse sperm heads that had undergone acrosomal reaction induced by C2+ ionophore, A 23187, which, with a molecular weight of 77.6 kd, shows capability to block egg-sperm fusion. As revealed by analysis usintg isotopic markers, this protein is one of the chief membrane proteins of inner acrosomal membrane or the outer membrane of equatorial segment and Post-acrosomal region; treatment of mouse sperms with 0.6 μg/ml of the Purified protein for 30 minutes reduced the sperm-egg fusion index by 51%.The above results led us to the conclusion that the protein is an active participant in sperm-egg fusion. The possible existence of sperm receptor on egg plasma membrane was discussed.展开更多
Mammalian sperm must undergo a series of biochemical and physiological modifications, collectively called capacitation, in the female reproductive tract prior to the acrosome reaction （AR）. The mechanisms of these m...Mammalian sperm must undergo a series of biochemical and physiological modifications, collectively called capacitation, in the female reproductive tract prior to the acrosome reaction （AR）. The mechanisms of these modifications are not well characterized though protein kinases were shown to be involved in the regulation of intracellular Ca2＋ during both capacitation and the AR. In the present review, we summarize some of the signaling events that are involved in capacitation. During the capacitation process, phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase （PI3K） is phosphorylated/activated via a protein kinase A （PKA）-dependent cascade, and downregulated by protein kinase C a （PKCa）. PKCa is active at the beginning of capacitation, resulting in PI3K inactivation. During capacitation, PKCa as well as PP172 is degraded by a PKA-dependent mechanism, allowing the activation of PI3K. The activation of PKA during capacitation depends mainly on cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） produced by the bicarbonate-dependent soluble adenylyl cyclase. This activation of PKA leads to an increase in actin polymerization, an essential process for the development of hyperactivated motility, which is necessary for successful fertilization. Actin polymerization is mediated by PIP2 in two ways： first, PIP2 acts as a cofactor for phospholipase D （PLD） activation, and second, as a molecule that binds and inhibits actin-severing proteins such as gelsolin. Tyrosine phosphorylation of gelsolin during capacitation by Src family kinase （SFK） is also important for its inactivation. Prior to the AR, gelsolin is released from PIP2 and undergoes dephosphorylation/activation, resulting in fast F-actin depolymerization, leading to the AR.展开更多
文摘A membrane protein was isolated from mouse sperm heads that had undergone acrosomal reaction induced by C2+ ionophore, A 23187, which, with a molecular weight of 77.6 kd, shows capability to block egg-sperm fusion. As revealed by analysis usintg isotopic markers, this protein is one of the chief membrane proteins of inner acrosomal membrane or the outer membrane of equatorial segment and Post-acrosomal region; treatment of mouse sperms with 0.6 μg/ml of the Purified protein for 30 minutes reduced the sperm-egg fusion index by 51%.The above results led us to the conclusion that the protein is an active participant in sperm-egg fusion. The possible existence of sperm receptor on egg plasma membrane was discussed.
文摘Mammalian sperm must undergo a series of biochemical and physiological modifications, collectively called capacitation, in the female reproductive tract prior to the acrosome reaction （AR）. The mechanisms of these modifications are not well characterized though protein kinases were shown to be involved in the regulation of intracellular Ca2＋ during both capacitation and the AR. In the present review, we summarize some of the signaling events that are involved in capacitation. During the capacitation process, phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase （PI3K） is phosphorylated/activated via a protein kinase A （PKA）-dependent cascade, and downregulated by protein kinase C a （PKCa）. PKCa is active at the beginning of capacitation, resulting in PI3K inactivation. During capacitation, PKCa as well as PP172 is degraded by a PKA-dependent mechanism, allowing the activation of PI3K. The activation of PKA during capacitation depends mainly on cyclic adenosine monophosphate （cAMP） produced by the bicarbonate-dependent soluble adenylyl cyclase. This activation of PKA leads to an increase in actin polymerization, an essential process for the development of hyperactivated motility, which is necessary for successful fertilization. Actin polymerization is mediated by PIP2 in two ways： first, PIP2 acts as a cofactor for phospholipase D （PLD） activation, and second, as a molecule that binds and inhibits actin-severing proteins such as gelsolin. Tyrosine phosphorylation of gelsolin during capacitation by Src family kinase （SFK） is also important for its inactivation. Prior to the AR, gelsolin is released from PIP2 and undergoes dephosphorylation/activation, resulting in fast F-actin depolymerization, leading to the AR.
