Abstract
Bindin, a protein component of the acrosomal vesicle of sea urchin sperm, has been isolated from Arbacia punctulata and strongylocentrous purpuratus. Using this isolated bindin, we have devised a quantitative assay for bindin-mediated egg agglutination and compared the agglutination of bindin eggs from A. puntulata and S. purpuratus. Bindin- mediated agglutination is species –specific in both species, although a measurable degree of heterotypic interaction is observed. Homotypic bindin-egg interactions differ significantly from heterotypic interactions both in the extent of agglutination and the size of the resulting aggregates. We also provide direct evidence that bindin particles agglutinate eggs by adhering to the surfaces of adjacent eggs. Although the A. punctulata bindin preparation displays the same functional properties and consists of one major polypeptide of the same apparent molecular weight as S. purpuratus bindin, its morphology is very different. Unlike the spherical aggregates observed with S. purpuratus bindin, A punctulata bindin exists as lamellar vesicles and binds significant amounts of phospholipids and Triton X-100, suggesting that it may be tightly associated with the acrosomal membrane. Having defined a number of the basic parameters of bindin-mediated agglutination, we examined the effect of a number of saccharides and glycopeptides on bindin-mediated egg agglutination. Carbohydrate-containing components derived from the egg cell surface by proteolysis were found to inhibit bindin-mediated egg agglutination at low concentrations, but this inhibition is not species specific.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (852.1 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Aketa K. Physiological studies on the sperm surface component responsible for sperm-egg bonding in sea urchin fertilization. I. Effect of sperm-binding protein on the fertilizing capacity of sperm. Exp Cell Res. 1973 Aug;80(2):439–441. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(73)90317-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Collins F. A reevaluation of the fertilizin hypothesis of sperm agglutination and the description of a novel form of sperm adhesion. Dev Biol. 1976 Apr;49(2):381–394. doi: 10.1016/0012-1606(76)90182-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Decker G. L., Joseph D. B., Lennarz W. J. A study of factors involved in induction of the acrosomal reaction in sperm of the sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata. Dev Biol. 1976 Oct 1;53(1):115–125. doi: 10.1016/0012-1606(76)90213-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Glabe C. G. A supramolecular theory for specificity in intracellular adhesion. J Theor Biol. 1979 Jun 7;78(3):417–423. doi: 10.1016/0022-5193(79)90340-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Glabe C. G., Vacquier V. D. Egg surface glycoprotein receptor for sea urchin sperm bindin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1978 Feb;75(2):881–885. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.2.881. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Glabe C. G., Vacquier V. D. Species specific agglutination of eggs by bindin isolated from sea urchin sperm. Nature. 1977 Jun 30;267(5614):836–838. doi: 10.1038/267836a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lallier R. Effects of concanavalin A on the development of sea urchin egg. Exp Cell Res. 1972 May;72(1):157–163. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(72)90577-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Summers R. G., Hylander B. L. Species-specificity of acrosome reaction and primary gamete binding in echinoids. Exp Cell Res. 1975 Nov;96(1):63–68. doi: 10.1016/s0014-4827(75)80037-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Veron M., Shapiro B. M. Binding of concanavalin A to the surface of sea urchin eggs and its alteration upon fertilization. J Biol Chem. 1977 Feb 25;252(4):1286–1292. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]