ISSN:
0148-7280
Keywords:
fertillization
;
spermatozoon
;
gamete interaction
;
zona pellucida
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
In order to identify those proteins from the plasma membrane of hamster spermatozoa that exhibit an affinity for components of the zona pellucida we have used the Western blot technique. Zonae pellucidae from postovulatory hamster oocytes were solubilized by exposure to an acidic pH and then radiolabeled using the Bolton-Hunter reagent. These 125I-zona pellucida proteins retain their immunoreactivity and migrate in three heterogeneous bands when submitted to SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Membrane proteins from epididymal spermatozoa of mature hamsters were extracted by treatment with Nonidet P-40 and then submitted to electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The proteins in the gel were electrophoretically transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane and then probed with the radiolabelled zone pellucida proteins. 125I-zona pellucida proteins bind preferentially to a sperm protein with a molecular weight of 26,400 ± 1,400 daltons (n = 9). Using a similar procedure it was shown that this protein also binds 125I-Concanavalin A. The interaction between the sperm protein and the 125I-zona pellucida proteins shows species specificity as demonstrated by the fact that the hamster 125I-zona pellucida proteins do not bind to proteins extracted from ram, bull, and stallion spermatozoa. Whether this sperm protein could be implicated be implicated in the process of sperm-egg interaction is under investigation.
Additional Material:
9 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mrd.1120120112
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