Sperm-borne protein, PAWP, initiates zygotic development in Xenopus laevis by eliciting intracellular calcium release

We previously reported postacrosomal sheath WW domain binding protein (PAWP) as a candidate sperm borne, oocyte‐activating factor. PAWP enters the oocyte during fertilization and induces oocyte activation events including meiotic resumption, pronuclear formation, and egg cleavage. However, in order...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular reproduction and development 2010-03, Vol.77 (3), p.249-256
Main Authors: Aarabi, Mahmoud, Qin, Zheng, Xu, Wei, Mewburn, Jeffrey, Oko, Richard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino Acid Motifs - genetics
Analysis of Variance
Aniline Compounds
Animals
Calcium - metabolism
Carrier Proteins - genetics
Carrier Proteins - metabolism
Cattle
Chi-Square Distribution
Female
Fertilization - physiology
Fluoresceins
Male
Meiosis
Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton
Mutation
Oocytes - metabolism
Recombinant Proteins - genetics
Recombinant Proteins - metabolism
Seminal Plasma Proteins - genetics
Seminal Plasma Proteins - metabolism
Spermatozoa - metabolism
Xenopus laevis
Xenopus Proteins - genetics
Xenopus Proteins - metabolism
Zygote - chemistry
Zygote - metabolism
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Summary:We previously reported postacrosomal sheath WW domain binding protein (PAWP) as a candidate sperm borne, oocyte‐activating factor. PAWP enters the oocyte during fertilization and induces oocyte activation events including meiotic resumption, pronuclear formation, and egg cleavage. However, in order to provide proof that PAWP is a primary initiator of zygotic development it is imperative to show that PAWP initiates intracellular calcium signaling, which is considered essential for oocyte activation. Utilizing Xenopus laevis as our model, we injected recombinant PAWP or Xenopus sperm into metaphase II‐arrested oocytes and observed a significant rise in intracellular calcium levels over controls. Concurring intensities and durations of PAWP and sperm‐induced calcium waves, detected by infrared two‐photon laser‐scanning fluorescence microscopy, were prevented by coinjection of a competitive PPGY‐containing peptide derived from PAWP but not by the point‐mutated form of this peptide. This study also correlates PAWP and sperm‐induced calcium release with meiotic resumption in Xenopus. The similar mode of oocyte activation, and the ability of the competitive peptide in blocking both sperm‐ and PAWP‐induced calcium release, provide evidence for the first time that sperm‐anchored PAWP is a primary initiator of zygotic development. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 77: 249–256, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:1040-452X
1098-2795
DOI:10.1002/mrd.21140