File:Degradation of IntactOocyte Zonae by Isolated Sperm Proteasomes PMCID- PMC3044170..jpg

Degradation of Intact Oocyte Zonae by Isolated Sperm Proteasomes

Maturing ova were incubated with purified sperm proteasomes for four hours with non-activated (a, b) or heat activated (c, d) sperm proteosomes, fertilized in vitro, and processed with anti-ZPC antibody (red), DNA stain DAPI (blue) and acrosomal shroud marker - lectin PNA-FITC (green). Note sperm detachment, and a striking abrasion and loosening of the zona in the active proteasome-treated ova (c, d). Preincubation with active proteasomes coincides with a reduced rate of polyspermic fertilization after IVF (e, f). IVF experiment was repeated three times, with total oocyte numbers shown above each column in panel f. Control (g; left) and proteasome treated (g; right) ova were also processed with anti-ZPC antibody immediately at the end of the 4 h coincubation, causing a pattern of zona digestion and abrasion (right zona) similar to that seen in IVF ova pre-treated with active proteasome.

PMCID: PMC3044170

Reference

Zimmerman, S. W., Manandhar, G., Yi, Y. J., Gupta, S. K., Sutovsky, M., Odhiambo, J. F., ... & Sutovsky, P. (2011). Sperm proteasomes degrade sperm receptor on the egg zona pellucida during mammalian fertilization. PLoS One, 6(2), e17256.

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