A novel group of sperm activating peptides from the sea urchin Glyptocidaris crenularis

Comp Biochem Physiol C Comp Pharmacol Toxicol. 1988;90(2):305-11. doi: 10.1016/0742-8413(88)90003-5.

Abstract

1. Six new sperm activating peptides were purified from the egg jelly of the sea urchin Glyptocidaris crenularis and their amino acid sequences were determined as follows: Ser-Ala-Lys-Leu-Cys-Pro-Gly-Gly-Asn-Cys-Val, Lys-Leu-Cys-Pro-Gly-Gly-Asn-Cys-Val, Leu-Cys-Pro-Gly-Gly-Asn-Cys-Val, Ser-Phe-Lys-Leu-Cys-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gln-Cys-Val, Lys-Leu-Cys-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gln-Cys-Val and Leu-Cys-Pro-Gly-Gly-Gln-Cys-Val. 2. The peptides were specific for G. crenularis spermatozoa and caused significant increases of sperm respiration rates and sperm cyclic nucleotide concentrations at concentrations as low as 10(-10) M. 3. The addition of the peptides to intact spermatozoa resulted in the change of the apparent mol. wt of a sperm protein from 195,000 to 200,000.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Cyclic AMP / analysis
  • Cyclic GMP / analysis
  • Female
  • Male
  • Oligopeptides / isolation & purification*
  • Ovum / analysis
  • Peptides / isolation & purification*
  • Sea Urchins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Oligopeptides
  • Peptides
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Cyclic GMP