FERTILISATION: Beginning a new organism

Recognition of egg and sperm

Proceeds along 5 basic steps: 1. The chemo attraction of sperm to the egg. 2. The exocytosis of acrosomal vesicles. 3. The binding of sperm to the extracellular envelope of the egg. 4. The passing of the sperm. 5. The fusion of egg and sperm plasma membranes.

Many marine organisms release their gametes into the environment. These organisms are faced with two problems: 1. How can sperm and egg meet in a dilute concentration? 2. How can sperm be prevented from fertilizing other species egg? Two mechanisms have evolved to solve these problems: Species specific attraction of sperm and species-specific sperm activation.

Sperm attraction: Action at a distance

In many species, sperm are attracted towards the egg by chemotaxis. Cnidarian Orthopyxis caliculata Mechanism differ among species. Sea urchin Arbacia punctulata - Chemotactic molecule,14 amino acid peptide, resact ; specific for the species. Sperm has receptors. Resact also act as sperm-activating peptide. Cause immediate increase in mitochondrial respiration and sperm motility. Receptor is a transmembrane protein-activate mitochondrial-ATP generating apparatus and dyenin ATPase that stimulate flagellar movement.

The acrosomal reaction in sea urchins

A second interaction between sperm and egg. In marine invertebrates acrosomal reaction has two components: 1. The fusion of acrosomal vesicles with the sperm plasma membrane. 2. The extension of acrosomal process. Initiated by contact of sperm with egg jelly. Causes release of vesicles and proteolytic enzymes digest a path through jelly coat to the egg surface.

In sea urchins, reaction thought to be initiated by a fucose-containing polysaccharide in the egg jelly that bind to sperm and allow calcium to enter sperm head. Exocytosis of vesicles caused by this calcium-mediated fusion. Initiation factors highly specific. The second part involve extension of acrosomal process. Protrusion attained by polymerization of actin monomers to actin filaments.

Species-specific recognition in sea urchins

The acrosomal process of sperm contacts the egg, major species-specific recognition mediated by bindin. 1977- Strongylocentrotus purpuratus Using immunological techniques, demonstrated bindin located specifically on acrosomal process.

Sperm binding does not occur over the entire egg surface. Presence of bindin receptors on the surface. At least one recognizes bindin of same species others recognize a general bindin structure. The bindin receptors are thought to be aggregated into complexes on the egg cell surface, and hundreds of these complexes may be needed to tether the sperm to the egg. species-specific recognition of sea urchin gametes occurs at the levels of sperm attraction, sperm activation, and sperm adhesion to the egg surface.

Gamete fusion

Fusion of egg and sperm plasma membranes Recognition of vitelline membrane or zona pellucida is followed by lysis of that portion by enzymes. Sperm-egg binding cause the extension of several microvilli to form the fertilization coneextended by polymerization of actin. In sea urchins all region of plasma membrane fuse with sperm. Active process mediated by fusogenic proteins; bindinphospholipid vesicles.

REFERENCE

Developmental Biology Scott. F. Gilbert