Activity of exoglycosidases in ejaculated spermatozoa of boar and bull.
The activity of exoglycosidases in extracts from freshly ejaculated boar and bull spermatozoa with 0.2% Brij-35/2% acetic acid was measured. The results show that beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase, beta-galactosidase and alpha-mannosidase are the major glycosidases; much higher levels of activity were found in boar spermatozoa than in bull spermatozoa. When compared on a per spermatozoon basis, the ratios of the activities of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase, beta-galactosidase and alpha-mannosidase in boar spermatozoon relative to those in bull spermatozoon were approximately 13000:1, 1700:1 and 400:1, respectively. Liberation of these glycosidases from bull spermatozoa by treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) was low, in contrast to liberation of alpha-mannosidase from boar spermatozoa previously found by the same means. The possibility that the exoglycosidases present in large amounts in boar spermatozoa play a role in the process of binding to the zona pellucida glycoprotein of the egg is discussed.
Graduate School of Science and Technology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Masayuki
M
Hayashi
Naoto
N
Yonezawa
Toshiyuki
T
Katsumata
Keiichi
K
Ikeda
Fabiana Lica
FL
Imai
Kazuhiro
K
Kikuchi
Seizo
S
Hamano
Minoru
M
Nakano
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004542:Ejaculation; D005260:Female; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D043265:Phosphatidylinositol Diacylglycerol-Lyase / Q000494:pharmacology; D054801:Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C; D013045:Species Specificity; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D013552:Swine; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000378:metabolism; D043323:alpha-Mannosidase / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism; D001619:beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases / Q000378:metabolism
D054801:Phosphoinositide Phospholipase C; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D043323:alpha-Mannosidase; D001619:beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases; D043265:Phosphatidylinositol Diacylglycerol-Lyase