Isolation and partial characterization of the sperm motility initiation factor from eggs of the pacific herring, Clupea pallasi

Previously, we have demonstrated that sperm from the Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, remain immotile upon spawning into the surrounding medium and initiate motility only upon contact with the micropyle area of the chorion (Yanagimachi et al., '92, Dev. Growth Differ., 34:447–461). In the present study we have purified a chorion-bound sperm motility initiating factor (SMIF) and have found it to be a 105 kDa glycosylated polypeptide. The isolated factor was highly bioactive, stimulating prolonged motility in >90% of the cells in vitro. The 105 kDa glycoprotein showed affinity for Con A on western blots. Furthermore, in intact eggs, Con A was localized to only the micropyle area, indicating that SMIF is restricted to this region of the chorion. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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