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A mammalian sperm cytosolic phospholipase C activity generates inositol trisphosphate and causes Ca 2+ release in sea urchin egg homogenates
Author(s) -
Jones Keith T,
Cruttwell Caroline,
Parrington John,
Swann Karl
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(98)01254-x
Subject(s) - phosphatidylinositol , inositol , sea urchin , phospholipase c , sperm , inositol trisphosphate , biology , fertilisation , biochemistry , cytosol , phospholipase , oocyte activation , inositol phosphate , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , enzyme , botany , receptor , signal transduction , embryogenesis , gene , reproductive technology
Injection of sperm extracts triggers Ca 2+ oscillations in mammalian eggs similar to those seen at fertilisation. Here, we show that addition of sperm extracts to sea urchin egg homogenates causes Ca 2+ release and inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate (InsP 3 ) production. Furthermore depleting homogenates of phosphatidylinositol lipids using a phosphatidylinositol‐specific phospholipase C blocked the sperm extract from causing InsP 3 production and a Ca 2+ rise. A response could be recovered by the addition of phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphosphate to either sperm extracts or egg homogenates. These data indicate that sperm extracts contain an InsP 3 ‐generating phospholipase C which may play a role in Ca 2+ release at fertilisation.