Requirement of phospholipase Cdelta4 for the zona pellucida-induced acrosome reaction.
Several phospholipase C (PLC) isoforms have been found in male and female mammalian gametes, and splicing isoforms of PLCdelta4 are predominantly expressed in testis. Here we report that male mice in which the PLCdelta4 gene had been disrupted either produced few small litters or were sterile. In vitro fertilization studies showed that insemination with PLCdelta4-/- sperm resulted in significantly fewer eggs becoming activated and that the calcium transients associated with fertilization were absent or delayed. PLCdelta4-/- sperm were unable to initiate the acrosome reaction, an exocytotic event required for fertilization and induced by interaction with the egg coat, the zona pellucida. These data demonstrate that PLCdelta4 functions in the acrosome reaction that is induced by the zona pellucida during mammalian fertilization.
Fukami
K
K
Department of Biochemistry, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8039, Japan. kfukami@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Nakao
K
K
Inoue
T
T
Kataoka
Y
Y
Kurokawa
M
M
Fissore
R A
RA
Nakamura
K
K
Katsuki
M
M
Mikoshiba
K
K
Yoshida
N
N
Takenawa
T
T
D000177:Acrosome / Q000201:enzymology*; D020101:Acrosome Reaction; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D004822:Epididymis / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D018390:Gene Targeting; D007295:Inositol Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology; D054803:Phospholipase C delta; D013075:Sperm Capacitation; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology*
D007295:Inositol Phosphates; D007527:Isoenzymes; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D054803:Phospholipase C delta; C518031:Plcd4 protein, mouse; D002118:Calcium