Inhibition of sea urchin fertilization by plant lectins.
Effects of plant lectins on sea urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) fertilization and a partial characterization of lectin-binding involved in the process were evaluated. IC50 doses for inhibition of fertilization varied from 4.1 to 135.5 microg/ml when the lectins were pre-incubated with sperms and from 0.7 to 33.4 microg/ml when pre-incubated with eggs. Such effects were reversed when the lectins were heat inactivated. FITC-labeled lectins bound egg surfaces while their denatured forms did not. Glucose/mannose specific lectins bound weaker to eggs when pre-incubated with the glycoprotein bovine lactotransferrin. None of the glycoproteins assayed diminished FITC patterns of the Gal/GalNAc binding lectins. Pre-incubation of Glucose/mannose binding lectins with eggs did not alter binding of Gal/GalNAc lectins. Lectins with distinct competencies for binding monosaccharide and glycoconjugates were able to inhibit sea urchin fertilization.
Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Campus do Pici, Cx. Postal 6033. Fortaleza-Ceará, CEP. 60451-970, Brasil.
N M R
NM
Macedo
L V
LV
Costa-Lotufo
C
C
Pessoa
M O
MO
Moraes
L R
LR
Bonfim
M V
MV
Ramos
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects*; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D047331:Lytechinus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009005:Monosaccharides; D037121:Plant Lectins; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate