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Effects of wheat germ agglutinin on tunicate egg activation and fertilization: Is there a plasma membrane sperm receptor system on Ascidia ceratodes eggs?
Author(s) -
Flannery Brendan,
Epel David
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-169x.1998.t01-1-00005.x
Subject(s) - wheat germ agglutinin , sperm , tunicate , biology , human fertilization , microbiology and biotechnology , lectin , membrane , enzyme , agglutinin , biochemistry , anatomy , botany , ecology
Little work has been carried out on the sperm recognition systems present on the egg plasma membrane. Here it is shown that wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) interferes with the sperm‐interacting system on the plasma membrane of eggs of the ascidian, Ascidia ceratodes. The WGA activates the dechorionated egg, indicating that a plasma membrane sugar residue can be directly tied to egg activation. Low concentrations of this lectin do not activate the eggs, but reduce fertilizability. This observation suggests that the WGA binding site might be part of a sperm reception–activation complex in the plasma membrane. While WGA also affects sperm binding to the chorion, the mechanisms of sperm interaction at the plasma membrane and chorion show different sensitivities to lectins, sugars and enzymes.