Equatorin is not essential for acrosome biogenesis but is required for the acrosome reaction.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun
; 444(4): 537-42, 2014 Feb 21.
Article
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| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24480441
ABSTRACT
The acrosome is a specialized organelle that covers the anterior part of the sperm nucleus and plays an essential role in mammalian fertilization. However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling acrosome biogenesis and acrosome exocytosis during fertilization are largely unknown. Equatorin (Eqtn) is a membrane protein that is specifically localized to the acrosomal membrane. In the present study, the physiological functions of Eqtn were investigated using a gene knockout mouse model. We found that Eqtn(-/-) males were subfertile. Only approximately 50% of plugged females were pregnant after mating with Eqtn(-/-) males, whereas more than 90% of plugged females were pregnant after mating with control males. Sperm and acrosomes from Eqtn(-/-) mice presented normal motility and morphology. However, the fertilization and induced acrosome exocytosis rates of Eqtn-deficient sperm were dramatically reduced. Further studies revealed that the Eqtn protein might interact with Syntaxin1a and SNAP25, but loss of Eqtn did not affect the protein levels of these genes. Therefore, our study demonstrates that Eqtn is not essential for acrosome biogenesis but is required for the acrosome reaction. Eqtn is involved in the fusion of the outer acrosomal membrane and the sperm plasma membrane during the acrosome reaction, most likely via an interaction with the SNARE complex.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Acrosoma
/
Reacción Acrosómica
/
Proteínas de la Membrana
Límite:
Animals
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Biochem Biophys Res Commun
Año:
2014
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
China