The Use of Antifreeze Proteins in the Cryopreservation of Gametes and Embryos

doi:10.3390/biom9050181

Review

. 2019 May 9;9(5):181.

doi: 10.3390/biom9050181.

The Use of Antifreeze Proteins in the Cryopreservation of Gametes and Embryos

Vanesa Robles^{1

2}, David G Valcarce³, Marta F Riesco⁴

Affiliations

¹ Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Santander, 39012, Spain. robles.vanesa@gmail.com.
² MODCELL GROUP, Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain. robles.vanesa@gmail.com.
³ Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Santander, 39012, Spain. dgvalcarce@gmail.com.
⁴ Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Santander, 39012, Spain. riesco.mf@gmail.com.

PMID: 31075977
PMCID: PMC6571776
DOI: 10.3390/biom9050181

Free PMC article

Review

The Use of Antifreeze Proteins in the Cryopreservation of Gametes and Embryos

Vanesa Robles et al. Biomolecules. 2019.

Free PMC article

. 2019 May 9;9(5):181.

doi: 10.3390/biom9050181.

Authors

Vanesa Robles^{1

2}, David G Valcarce³, Marta F Riesco⁴

Affiliations

¹ Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Santander, 39012, Spain. robles.vanesa@gmail.com.
² MODCELL GROUP, Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain. robles.vanesa@gmail.com.
³ Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Santander, 39012, Spain. dgvalcarce@gmail.com.
⁴ Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Santander, 39012, Spain. riesco.mf@gmail.com.

PMID: 31075977
PMCID: PMC6571776
DOI: 10.3390/biom9050181

Abstract

The cryopreservation of gametes and embryos is a technique widely used in reproductive biology. This technology helps in the reproductive management of domesticated animals, and it is an important tool for gene banking and for human-assisted reproductive technologies. Antifreeze proteins are naturally present in several organisms exposed to subzero temperatures. The ability for these proteins to inhibit ice recrystallization together with their ability to interact with biological membranes makes them interesting molecules to be used in cryopreservation protocols. This mini-review provides a general overview about the use of antifreeze proteins to improve the short and long term storage of gametes and embryos.

Keywords: AFP; cryopreservation; embryo; oocytes; spermatozoa; vitrification.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Antifreeze protein (AFP) mechanisms of the action binding to forming ice crystals around gametes or the embryo, and 3D models of the most used AFPs in reproductive technologies. The 3D models were created using the SWISS-MODEL online platform with the following National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) sequences: AFPI (*Pseudopleuronectes americanus*; GeneBank ID: AAA49466.1), AFPII (*Hemitripterus americanus,* GenBank ID: AAA49618.1), AFPIII (*Zoarces americanus;* GenBank ID: ABA41371.1), and AFGP (*Gadus morhua*; GenBank ID: AAQ09567.1)

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References

1. Gilbert J.A., Davies P.L., Laybourn-Parry J. A hyperactive, Ca 2+ -dependent antifreeze protein in an Antarctic bacterium. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 2005;245:67–72. doi: 10.1016/j.femsle.2005.02.022. - DOI - PubMed
1. Do H., Kim S.-J., Kim H.J., Lee J.H. Structure-based characterization and antifreeze properties of a hyperactive ice-binding protein from the Antarctic bacterium Flavobacterium frigoris PS1. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. D Biol. Crystallogr. 2014;70:1061–1073. doi: 10.1107/S1399004714000996. - DOI - PubMed
1. Raymond J.A., Janech M.G., Fritsen C.H. Novel ice-binding proteins from a psychrophilic antarctic alga (Chlamydomonadaceae, chlorophyceae) J. Phycol. 2009;45:130–136. doi: 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00623.x. - DOI - PubMed
1. Krell A., Beszteri B., Dieckmann G., Glöckner G., Valentin K., Mock T. A new class of ice-binding proteins discovered in a salt-stress-induced cDNA library of the psychrophilic diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus (Bacillariophyceae) Eur. J. Phycol. 2008;43:423–433. doi: 10.1080/09670260802348615. - DOI
1. Davies P.L., Hew C.L. Biochemistry of fish antifreeze proteins. FASEB J. 1990;4:2460–2468. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.4.8.2185972. - DOI - PubMed

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[1] Gilbert J.A., Davies P.L., Laybourn-Parry J. A hyperactive, Ca 2+ -dependent antifreeze protein in an Antarctic bacterium. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 2005;245:67–72. doi: 10.1016/j.femsle.2005.02.022. - DOI - PubMed

[2] Gilbert J.A., Davies P.L., Laybourn-Parry J. A hyperactive, Ca 2+ -dependent antifreeze protein in an Antarctic bacterium. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 2005;245:67–72. doi: 10.1016/j.femsle.2005.02.022. - DOI - PubMed

[3] Do H., Kim S.-J., Kim H.J., Lee J.H. Structure-based characterization and antifreeze properties of a hyperactive ice-binding protein from the Antarctic bacterium Flavobacterium frigoris PS1. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. D Biol. Crystallogr. 2014;70:1061–1073. doi: 10.1107/S1399004714000996. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Do H., Kim S.-J., Kim H.J., Lee J.H. Structure-based characterization and antifreeze properties of a hyperactive ice-binding protein from the Antarctic bacterium Flavobacterium frigoris PS1. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. D Biol. Crystallogr. 2014;70:1061–1073. doi: 10.1107/S1399004714000996. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Raymond J.A., Janech M.G., Fritsen C.H. Novel ice-binding proteins from a psychrophilic antarctic alga (Chlamydomonadaceae, chlorophyceae) J. Phycol. 2009;45:130–136. doi: 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00623.x. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Raymond J.A., Janech M.G., Fritsen C.H. Novel ice-binding proteins from a psychrophilic antarctic alga (Chlamydomonadaceae, chlorophyceae) J. Phycol. 2009;45:130–136. doi: 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00623.x. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Krell A., Beszteri B., Dieckmann G., Glöckner G., Valentin K., Mock T. A new class of ice-binding proteins discovered in a salt-stress-induced cDNA library of the psychrophilic diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus (Bacillariophyceae) Eur. J. Phycol. 2008;43:423–433. doi: 10.1080/09670260802348615. - DOI

[8] Krell A., Beszteri B., Dieckmann G., Glöckner G., Valentin K., Mock T. A new class of ice-binding proteins discovered in a salt-stress-induced cDNA library of the psychrophilic diatom Fragilariopsis cylindrus (Bacillariophyceae) Eur. J. Phycol. 2008;43:423–433. doi: 10.1080/09670260802348615. - DOI

[9] Davies P.L., Hew C.L. Biochemistry of fish antifreeze proteins. FASEB J. 1990;4:2460–2468. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.4.8.2185972. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Davies P.L., Hew C.L. Biochemistry of fish antifreeze proteins. FASEB J. 1990;4:2460–2468. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.4.8.2185972. - DOI - PubMed

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The Use of Antifreeze Proteins in the Cryopreservation of Gametes and Embryos

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The Use of Antifreeze Proteins in the Cryopreservation of Gametes and Embryos

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