The activity for the induction of the sperm acrosome reaction localises in the outer layers and exists in the high-molecular-weight components of the egg-jelly of the newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster

• Published in: Zygote (Cambridge) Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Sasaki, Takayuki, Kamimura, Saori, Takai, Hiroyuki, Watanabe, Akihiko, Onitake, Kazuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-02-2002
• Subjects: Acrosome Reaction - physiology; Animals; Female; Glycoconjugates - analysis; Glycoconjugates - physiology; Hot Temperature; Lectins - metabolism; Male; Ovum - chemistry; Ovum - physiology; Salamandridae - physiology; Spermatozoa - physiology
• ISSN: 0967-1994
• DOI: 10.1017/S0967199402002010

Localisation of the acrosome reaction inducing activity in egg-jelly was examined in the newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster. The jelly has six layers: the J0, J1, J2, J3, J4 and st layers. Jelly was mechanically dissected and placed on a Millipore filter. When sperm were added from the outer surface side of the jelly, most of them exhibited the acrosome reaction after passing through the jelly. When egg-jelly was divided into four layers, strong activity for the induction of acrosome reaction was detected in the outer layers, J4+st. These findings suggest that the acrosome reaction is induced by a substance in the outer layers of the egg-jelly. Among jelly components separated by SDS-PAGE, a fraction of more than 500 kDa in molecular weight induced the acrosome reaction. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Griffonia simplicifoliar agglutinin 1 (GS-1), Maclura pomifera agglutinin (MPA) and Arachis hypogaea agglutinin (PNA) inhibited the induction of the acrosome reaction by jelly extract, and WGA did so in a dose-dependent manner. Those lectins precipitated some molecules of over 500 kDa. These results suggest that the acrosome reaction is induced by the high molecular-weight components of egg-jelly in C. pyrrhogaster.