title: Sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs) of agnathans and chondrichthyans: variability and evolution of sperm proteins in fish.
abstract: We have characterized for the first time SNBPs from the hagfish Eptatratus stouti (Myxini) and the lamprey Lampetra tridentatus (Cephalaspidomorphi) and have found that histones are the major protein components of the sperm of these agnathans. We have also conducted a systematic analysis of SNBPs from different groups of chondrichthyan fishes, including the skate Raja rhina and seven species of sharks. Together with our previous data showing the sporadic nature of SNBP evolution in bony fish (Saperas, N., Ausio, J., Lloris, D. and Chiva, M. [1994] J. Mol. Evol. 39: 282-295), the present study provides a unique insight into the overall evolutionary complexity and variability of the nuclear sperm proteins of fishes. It would appear that despite the discontinuous evolution of these proteins, the macroevolutionary pattern of histone (H type) --> protamine-like (PL type) --> protamine (P type) has been conserved in fish evolution, as it has in the evolution of other Deuterostomes.
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Enginyeria Química, ETSEIB, UPC, Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saperas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiva
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kasinsky
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ausió
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004284:Dogfish / Q000235:genetics; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006196:Hagfishes / Q000235:genetics*; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D007798:Lampreys / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011479:Protamines / Q000235:genetics*; D012754:Sharks / Q000235:genetics; D012860:Skates, Fish / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D006657:Histones; D011479:Protamines