title: 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.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Yamagata University, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Saori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Onitake
mesh_terms: D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006001:Glycoconjugates / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D012455:Salamandridae / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006001:Glycoconjugates; D037102:Lectins