KERATINOUS STATE OF ELEDONE CIRRHOSA SPERM CELLS AND THEIR SPECIAL NUCLEAR PROTEIN

In this work, we show by several methods that the Eledone cirrhosa sperm is a cell very rich in cysteine. A high proportion of these cysteine residues is found linked by disulphide bonds (-cys-S-S-cys-), conferring a remarkable chemical stability to the nucleus and outer dense fibers. We have paid special attention to purifying and analyzing the protein content of sperm nuclei and comparing it with other E. cirrhosa sperm proteins and with Octopus sp protamine. Contrary to the previous results of Subirana et al. (1973. Biochim Biophys Acta 317:364–379), we find that E. cirrhosa sperm nuclei contain only one major protein, a protamine. This sperm nuclear basic protein is a very cysteine-rich molecule and is different from known cephalopod protamines. Consequently, sperm cells of E. cirrhosa display a general “keratinous” state that includes their nucleus. We discuss how this fact may be related to some peculiar reproductive behavioral characteristics of this species. J. Exp. Zool. 283:580–589, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[1]  J. Ausió,et al.  Sperm Nuclear Basic Proteins (SNBPs) of Agnathans and Chondrichthyans: Variability and Evolution of Sperm Proteins in Fish , 1997, Journal of Molecular Evolution.

[2]  P. Sautière,et al.  Squid spermiogenesis: molecular characterization of testis-specific pro-protamines. , 1995, The Biochemical journal.

[3]  M. Chiva,et al.  Characterization of chromatin‐condensing proteins during spermiogenesis in a neogastropod mollusc (Murex brandaris) , 1994, Molecular reproduction and development.

[4]  P. Sautière,et al.  Isolation and characterization of a small putative zinc finger protein from cuttlefish epididymal sperm cells. , 1994, European journal of biochemistry.

[5]  H. Kasinsky,et al.  Sperm-Specific Basic Proteins in the Holocephalan Fish Hydrolagus colliei (Chondrichthyes, Chimaeriformes) and Comparison with Protamines from an Elasmobranch. , 1993, The Biological bulletin.

[6]  P. Forey,et al.  Fish evolution and systematics: Evidence from Spermatozoa , 1992 .

[7]  P. Sautière,et al.  P2 protamines from human sperm are zinc -finger proteins with one CYS2/HIS2 motif. , 1992, Biochemical and biophysical research communications.

[8]  P. Roepstorff,et al.  Cuttlefish sperm protamines. 2. Mass spectrometry of protamines and related peptides. , 1991, European journal of biochemistry.

[9]  P. Willmer.  Invertebrate Relationships: Patterns in Animal Evolution , 1990 .

[10]  P. Willmer.  Invertebrate Relationships: Frontmatter , 1990 .

[11]  C. Azevedo,et al.  Ultrastructural Localization of Calcium in the Acrosome and Jelly Coat of Starfish Gametes , 1989, Development, growth & differentiation.

[12]  S. Khrapunov,et al.  Displacement of histones by sperm-specific proteins at different stages of spermatogenesis of squid. , 1988, European journal of biochemistry.

[13]  J. A. Subirana,et al.  On the diversity of sperm basic proteins in the vertebrates: VI. Cytochemical and biochemical analysis in birds , 1988 .

[14]  P. Sautière,et al.  Amino-acid sequence of scylliorhinine Z1 and comparison of the primary structure of the protamines of the dogfish Scylliorhinus caniculus , 1987 .

[15]  J. A. Subirana,et al.  Characterization of protamines from four avian species , 1987, FEBS letters.

[16]  P. Sautière,et al.  Extraction, purification and characterization of the sperm protamines of the dog-fish Scylliorhinus caniculus. , 1983, Biochimica et biophysica acta.

[17]  R. Balhorn.  A model for the structure of chromatin in mammalian sperm , 1982, The Journal of cell biology.

[18]  M. Gusse,et al.  [Ultrastructural and chemical study of the chromatin during spermiogenesis of the fish Scyliorhinus caniculus (L.) (author's transl)]. , 1978, Cytobiologie.

[19]  C. Hurley.  Electrophoresis of histones: a modified Panyim and Chalkley system for slab gels. , 1977, Analytical biochemistry.

[20]  V. Pallini,et al.  The accessory fibers of the sperm tail. II. Their role in binding zinc in mammals and cephalopods. , 1976, Journal of ultrastructure research.

[21]  V. Pallini,et al.  The accessory fibers of the sperm tail. High-sulfur and low-sulfur components in mammals and cephalopods. , 1976, Journal of ultrastructure research.

[22]  W. Maxwell.  Spermiogenesis of Eledone cirrhosa Lamarck (Cephalopoda, Octopoda) , 1974, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences.

[23]  J. Palau,et al.  Protamines and other basic proteins from spermatozoa of molluscs. , 1973, Biochimica et biophysica acta.

[24]  S. Boletzky,et al.  Reproductive biology and embryonic development of Eledone cirrosa (Cephalopoda: Octopoda) , 1971 .

[25]  B. Baccetti.  Comparative spermatology 20 years after , 1991 .

[26]  S. Boletzky.  Recent Studies on Spawning, Embryonic Development, and Hatching in the Cephalopoda , 1989 .

[27]  S. Perreault,et al.  Importance of glutathione in the acquisition and maintenance of sperm nuclear decondensing activity in maturing hamster oocytes. , 1988, Developmental biology.

[28]  B. Zirkin,et al.  The role of disulfide bond reduction during mammalian sperm nuclear decondensation in vivo. , 1984, Developmental Biology.

[29]  R. Chalkley,et al.  High resolution acrylamide gel electrophoresis of histones. , 1969, Archives of biochemistry and biophysics.

[30]  R. Cole.  [33] S-Aminoethylation , 1967 .