The mammalian zona pellucida: its biochemistry, immunochemistry, molecular biology, and developmental expression

1994 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 331 ◽  
Author(s):  
BS Dunbar ◽  
S Avery ◽  
V Lee ◽  
S Prasad ◽  
D Schwahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Zona Pellucida ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Follicular Development ◽  
Developmental Expression ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Mature Ovum ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Mammalian Fertilization ◽  
And Function

Many studies of the molecular and biochemical aspects of mammalian fertilization have focused on the interaction of the spermatozoa with the zona pellucida (ZP). The zona pellucida, a unique extracellular matrix surrounding the mammalian oocyte, is formed during ovarian follicular development. Following ovulation of the mature ovum, the spermatozoa must bind to and penetrate this matrix before the fertilization process is completed and the male and female genetic information combine. Although numerous models for this interaction have been proposed, the complete process has yet to be elucidated. The precise mechanisms by which these interactions occur also vary markedly among different mammalian species, making it more difficult to establish a unified model. To a great extent, the study of the molecules involved in these interactions have been limited because small numbers of female gametes are available for these studies. The recent development of techniques to isolate large numbers of zonae pellucidae as well as advances in immunological and molecular biology techniques have permitted the detailed characterization of ZP proteins. Although there is a paucity of information on the post-translational modification and extracellular processing of these molecules which result in matrix formation, a number of properties have been elucidated allowing better correlation between the structure and function of different ZP proteins among species. This review reflects these studies in relation to protein nomenclature and the molecular complexity of ZP antigens.

scholarly journals The sperm protein SPACA4 is required for efficient fertilization in mice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Herberg ◽  
Yoshitaka Fujihara ◽  
Andreas Blaha ◽  
Karin Panser ◽  
Kiyonari Kobayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zona Pellucida ◽  
Knockout Mice ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Sperm Protein ◽  
Mammalian Sperm ◽  
Fundamental Process ◽  
Mammalian Fertilization

Fertilization is the fundamental process that initiates the development of a new individual in all sexually reproducing species. Despite its importance, our understanding of the molecular players that govern mammalian sperm-egg interaction is incomplete, partly because many of the essential factors found in non-mammalian species do not have obvious mammalian homologs. We have recently identified the Ly6/uPAR protein Bouncer as a new, essential fertilization factor in zebrafish (Herberg et al., 2018). Here, we show that Bouncer's homolog in mammals, SPACA4, is also required for efficient fertilization in mice. In contrast to fish, where Bouncer is expressed specifically in the egg, SPACA4 is expressed exclusively in the testis. Male knockout mice are severely sub-fertile, and sperm lacking SPACA4 fail to fertilize wild-type eggs in vitro. Interestingly, removal of the zona pellucida rescues the fertilization defect of Spaca4-deficient sperm in vitro, indicating that SPACA4 is not required for the interaction of sperm and the oolemma but rather of sperm and zona pellucida. Our work identifies SPACA4 as an important sperm protein necessary for zona pellucida penetration during mammalian fertilization.

Establishing a model to demonstrate physical and mathematical properties of chromatin fibres in fission yeast cells - Research in the Molecular Biophysics Lab at Hiroshima University

Impact ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-91
Author(s):  
Shin-ichi Tate
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Molecular Architecture ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Sports Science ◽  
Cellular Events ◽  
And Function ◽  
Education Culture ◽  
Open The Doors

The field of molecular biology has provided great insights into the structure and function of key molecules. Thanks to this area of research, we can now grasp the biological details of DNA and have characterised an enormous number of molecules in massive data bases. These 'biological periodic tables' have allowed scientists to connect molecules to particular cellular events, furthering scientific understanding of biological processes. However, molecular biology has yet to answer questions regarding 'higher-order' molecular architecture, such as that of chromatin. Chromatin is the molecular material that serves as the building block for chromosomes, the structures that carry an organism's genetic information inside of the cell's nucleus. Understanding the physical properties of chromatin is crucial in developing a more thorough picture of how chromatin's structure relate to its key cellular functions. Moreover, by establishing a physical model of chromatin, scientists will be able to open the doors into the true inner workings of the cell nucleus. Professor Shin-ichi Tate and his team of researchers at Hiroshima University's Research Center for the Mathematics on Chromatin Live Dynamics (RcMcD), are attempting to do just that. Through a five-year grant funded by the Platform for Dynamic Approaches to Living Systems from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Tate is aiming to gain a clearer understanding of the structure and dynamics of chromatin.

scholarly journals Sumoylation regulates the assembly and activity of the SMN complex

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulietta M. Riboldi ◽  
Irene Faravelli ◽  
Takaaki Kuwajima ◽  
Nicolas Delestrée ◽  
Georgia Dermentzaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Cellular Distribution ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Smn Complex ◽  
Sensory Motor ◽  
Motor Neuron Loss ◽  
And Function ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins

AbstractSMN is a ubiquitously expressed protein and is essential for life. SMN deficiency causes the neurodegenerative disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of infant mortality. SMN interacts with itself and other proteins to form a complex that functions in the assembly of ribonucleoproteins. SMN is modified by SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier), but whether sumoylation is required for the functions of SMN that are relevant to SMA pathogenesis is not known. Here, we show that inactivation of a SUMO-interacting motif (SIM) alters SMN sub-cellular distribution, the integrity of its complex, and its function in small nuclear ribonucleoproteins biogenesis. Expression of a SIM-inactivated mutant of SMN in a mouse model of SMA slightly extends survival rate with limited and transient correction of motor deficits. Remarkably, although SIM-inactivated SMN attenuates motor neuron loss and improves neuromuscular junction synapses, it fails to prevent the loss of sensory-motor synapses. These findings suggest that sumoylation is important for proper assembly and function of the SMN complex and that loss of this post-translational modification impairs the ability of SMN to correct selective deficits in the sensory-motor circuit of SMA mice.

Sex Steroids and Human Behavior: Implications for Developmental Psychopathology

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerianne M. Alexander ◽  
Bradley S. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Sex Steroids ◽  
Developmental Psychopathology ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Postnatal Life ◽  
Brain Structure And Function ◽  
Atypical Development ◽  
And Function

AbstractIn a variety of mammalian species, prenatal androgens organize brain structures and functions that are later activated by steroid hormones in postnatal life. In humans, studies of individuals with typical and atypical development suggest that sex differences in reproductive and nonreproductive behavior derive in part from similar prenatal and postnatal steroid effects on brain development. This paper provides a summary of research investigating hormonal influences on human behavior and describes how sex differences in the prevalences and natural histories of developmental psychopathologies may be consistent with these steroid effects. An association between patterns of sexual differentiation and specific forms of psychopathology suggests novel avenues for assessing the effects of sex steroids on brain structure and function, which may in turn improve our understanding of typical and atypical development in women and men.

scholarly journals Intrinsic disorder in protein domains contributes to both organism complexity and clade-specific functions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Gao ◽  
Chong Ma ◽  
Huqiang Wang ◽  
Haolin Zhong ◽  
Jiayin Zang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Significance ◽  
Protein Domains ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Complex Functions ◽  
Disorder Degree ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
And Function

AbstractInterestingly, some protein domains are intrinsically disordered (abbreviated as IDD), and the disorder degree of same domains may differ in different contexts. However, the evolutionary causes and biological significance of these phenomena are unclear. Here, we address these issues by genome-wide analyses of the evolutionary and functional features of IDDs in 1,870 species across the three superkingdoms. As the result, there is a significant positive correlation between the proportion of IDDs and organism complexity with some interesting exceptions. These phenomena may be due to the high disorder of clade-specific domains and the different disorder degrees of the domains shared in different clades. The functions of IDDs are clade-specific and the higher proportion of post-translational modification sites may contribute to their complex functions. Compared with metazoans, fungi have more IDDs with a consecutive disorder region but a low disorder ratio, which reflects their different functional requirements. As for disorder variation, it’s greater for domains among different proteins than those within the same proteins. Some clade-specific ‘no-variation’ or ‘high-variation’ domains are involved in clade-specific functions. In sum, intrinsic domain disorder is related to both the organism complexity and clade-specific functions. These results deepen the understanding of the evolution and function of IDDs.

scholarly journals Centromere Protein B Null Mice are Mitotically and Meiotically Normal but Have Lower Body and Testis Weights

1998 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien F. Hudson ◽  
Kerry J. Fowler ◽  
Elizabeth Earle ◽  
Richard Saffery ◽  
Paul Kalitsis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle Progression ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Conflicting Evidence ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Reduced Rate ◽  
And Function ◽  
Centromere Assembly ◽  
Mitosis And Meiosis

CENP-B is a constitutive centromere DNA-binding protein that is conserved in a number of mammalian species and in yeast. Despite this conservation, earlier cytological and indirect experimental studies have provided conflicting evidence concerning the role of this protein in mitosis. The requirement of this protein in meiosis has also not previously been described. To resolve these uncertainties, we used targeted disruption of the Cenpb gene in mouse to study the functional significance of this protein in mitosis and meiosis. Male and female Cenpb null mice have normal body weights at birth and at weaning, but these subsequently lag behind those of the heterozygous and wild-type animals. The weight and sperm content of the testes of Cenpb null mice are also significantly decreased. Otherwise, the animals appear developmentally and reproductively normal. Cytogenetic fluorescence-activated cell sorting and histological analyses of somatic and germline tissues revealed no abnormality. These results indicate that Cenpb is not essential for mitosis or meiosis, although the observed weight reduction raises the possibility that Cenpb deficiency may subtly affect some aspects of centromere assembly and function, and result in reduced rate of cell cycle progression, efficiency of microtubule capture, and/or chromosome movement. A model for a functional redundancy of this protein is presented.

scholarly journals Molecular biology approaches in bioadhesion research

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 983-993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Rodrigues ◽  
Birgit Lengerer ◽  
Thomas Ostermann ◽  
Peter Ladurner
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Biological Function ◽  
Molecular Approach ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Blast Search ◽  
Search Facility ◽  
New Research ◽  
And Function ◽  
Functional Analyses

The use of molecular biology tools in the field of bioadhesion is still in its infancy. For new research groups who are considering taking a molecular approach, the techniques presented here are essential to unravelling the sequence of a gene, its expression and its biological function. Here we provide an outline for addressing adhesion-related genes in diverse organisms. We show how to gradually narrow down the number of candidate transcripts that are involved in adhesion by (1) generating a transcriptome and a differentially expressed cDNA list enriched for adhesion-related transcripts, (2) setting up a BLAST search facility, (3) perform an in situ hybridization screen, and (4) functional analyses of selected genes by using RNA interference knock-down. Furthermore, latest developments in genome-editing are presented as new tools to study gene function. By using this iterative multi-technologies approach, the identification, isolation, expression and function of adhesion-related genes can be studied in most organisms. These tools will improve our understanding of the diversity of molecules used for adhesion in different organisms and these findings will help to develop innovative bio-inspired adhesives.

Profile of a mammalian sperm receptor

Development ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.M. Wassarman
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Zona Pellucida ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Mammalian Development ◽  
Unique Nature ◽  
Mammalian Fertilization ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Mammalian Eggs ◽  
Sperm Receptor

Complementary molecules on the surface of eggs and sperm are responsible for species-specific interactions between gametes during fertilization in both plants and animals. In this essay, several aspects of current research on the mouse egg receptor for sperm, a zona pellucida glycoprotein called ZP3, are addressed. These include the structure, synthesis, and functions of the sperm receptor during oogenesis and fertilization in mice. Several conclusions are drawn from available information. These include (I) ZP3 is a member of a unique class of glycoproteins found exclusively in the extracellular coat (zona pellucida) of mammalian eggs. (II) ZP3 gene expression is an example of oocyte-specific and, therefore, sex-specific gene expression during mammalian development. (III) ZP3 is a structural glycoprotein involved in assembly of the egg extracellular coat during mammalian oogenesis. (IV) ZP3 is a sperm receptor involved in carbohydrate-mediated gamete recognition and adhesion during mammalian fertilization. (V) ZP3 is an inducer of sperm exocytosis (acrosome reaction) during mammalian fertilization. (VI) ZP3 participates in the secondary block to polyspermy following fertilization in mammals. (VII) The extracellular coat of other mammalian eggs contains a glycoprotein that is functionally analogous to mouse ZP3. The unique nature, highly restricted expression, and multiple roles of ZP3 during mammalian development make this glycoprotein a particularly attractive subject for investigation at both the cellular and molecular levels.

The origin of multiple mating types in mushrooms

1993 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-230
Author(s):  
U. Kues ◽  
L.A. Casselton
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Multiple Mating ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
Mating Partner ◽  
Binucleate Cells ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Mating Type Genes ◽  
And Function ◽  
Developmental Switch ◽  
Sterile Mycelium

Having multiple mating types greatly improves the chances of meeting a compatible mating partner, particularly in an organism like the mushroom that has no sexual differentiation and no mechanism for signalling to a likely mate. Having several thousands of mating types, as some mushrooms do, is, however, remarkable - and even more remarkable is the fact that individuals only recognise that they have met a compatible mate after their cells have fused. How are such large numbers of mating types generated and what is the nature of the intracellular interaction that distinguishes self from non- self? Answers to these fascinating questions come from cloning some of the mating type genes of the ink cap mushroom Coprinus cinereus. A successful mating in Coprinus triggers a major switch in cell type, the conversion of a sterile mycelium with uninucleate cells (monokaryon) to a fertile mycelium with binucleate cells (dikaryon) which differentiates the characteristic fruit bodies. The mating type genes that regulate this developmental switch map to two multiallelic loci designated A and B and these must both carry different alleles for full mating compatibility. A and B independently regulate different steps in the developmental switch, making it possible to study just one component of the system and work in our laboratory has concentrated on understanding the structure and function of the A genes. It is estimated that some 160 different A mating types exist in nature, any two of which can together trigger the A-regulated part of sexual development. The first clue to how such large numbers are generated came from classical genetic analysis, which identified two functionally redundant A loci, (alpha) and beta. Functional redundancy is, indeed, the key to multiple A mating types and, as seen in Fig.1, molecular cloning has identified many more genes than was possible by recombination analysis.

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