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A comparison of fertilization envelope development in three species of Strongylocentrotus (S. Franciscanus, S. Droebachiensis , and S. purpuratus )
Author(s) -
Carroll Edward J.,
Cohen Jeffrey S.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.1080250114
Subject(s) - strongylocentrotus droebachiensis , strongylocentrotus purpuratus , biology , human fertilization , sea urchin , antiserum , ultrastructure , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody , genetics
The ultrastructure of fertilization envelope (FE) development and the polypeptide spectra of Strongylocentrotus franciscanus and S. droebachiensis envelopes were compared to S. purpuratus. In S. franciscanus , the FE reached its maximum thickness of 67 nm by 3 minutes postinsemination (Pl), and final structuralization was observed by 40 minutes Pl. The fully formed FE did not have microvillar impressions (casts) and was symmetrical, with outer double laminar elements surrounding an amorphous central region. Isolated S. franciscanus FEs were soluble in reducing and denaturing solvents and the same set of 33 polypeptides ranging from 18.5 to 260 kD was detected in FEs isolated from 10 to 180 minutes Pl. The S. droebachiensis FE retained microvillar casts, assumed its definitive from by 3 minutes Pl, and was 70 nm thick between microvillar impressions. Isolated S. droebachiensis FEs were partially soluble in reducing and denaturing solvents, and the polypeptide spectra of FEs isolated between 10 and 60 minutes Pl were identical and showed 14 polypeptides from 18.5 to 265 kD. Antisera against exttracted FEs and the FE extract from S. purpuratus were immunologically cross‐reactive (using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay) with S. franciscanus and S. droebachiensis FE preparations; immunoblots identified 13 and 5 cross‐reactive polypeptides, respectively. Most of the cross‐reactive polypeptides were of slightly different molecular weight. Based on comparative ultrastructural, solubility, and electrophoretic data, we suggest that S. droebachiensis FE development is most like that observed in S. purpuratus.