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Activation ofXenopusEggs by Proteases: Possible Involvement of a Sperm Protease in Fertilization

Mizote, Akiko ; Okamoto, Satoshi ; Iwao, Yasuhiro

Developmental biology, 1999-04, Vol.208 (1), p.79-92 [Periódico revisado por pares]

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Título:
Activation ofXenopusEggs by Proteases: Possible Involvement of a Sperm Protease in Fertilization
Autor: Mizote, Akiko ; Okamoto, Satoshi ; Iwao, Yasuhiro
É parte de: Developmental biology, 1999-04, Vol.208 (1), p.79-92
Descrição: Egg activation in cross-fertilization betweenXenopuseggs andCynopssperm may be caused by a protease activity against Boc-Gly-Arg-Arg-MCA in the sperm acrosome. To determine the role of the sperm protease in fertilization, the protease was purified fromCynopssperm using several chromatographic techniques. We found that purified sperm protease readily hydrolyzes Boc-Gly-Arg-Arg-MCA and Z-Arg-Arg-MCA, that protease activity was inhibited by the trypsin inhibitors aprotinin and leupeptin, and that not only the purified protease, but also cathepsin B, induces activation inXenopuseggs. We inseminated unfertilizedXenopuseggs with homologous sperm in the presence of various peptidyl MCA substrates or protease inhibitors and demonstrated that trypsin inhibitors or MCA substrates containing Arg-Arg-MCA reversibly inhibited fertilization of both fully jellied and denuded eggs. Sperm motility was not affected by the reagents. An extract obtained fromXenopussperm showed hydrolytic activity against Boc-Gly-Arg-Arg-MCA, Z-Arg-Arg-MCA, and Arg-MCA. These results suggest that the tryptic protease inXenopussperm is involved in fertilization, most likely by participating in egg activation.
Editor: Elsevier Inc
Idioma: Inglês

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