Sperm from mice carrying a targeted mutation of the acrosin gene can penetrate the oocyte zona pellucida and effect fertilization

The physiological function of mammalian sperm acrosin has long been believed to be involved in the limited proteolysis of the oocyte zona pellucida, thus enabling the sperm to penetrate this extracellular matrix and to gain access to the oocyte plasma membrane. Here we show that male mice homozygous...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 269; no. 50; pp. 31845 - 31849
Main Authors Baba, T, Azuma, S, Kashiwabara, S, Toyoda, Y
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Inc 16.12.1994
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Subjects
Acrosin - physiology
Animals
Female
Fertilization
Fertilization in Vitro
Gene Expression
In Vitro Techniques
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Oocytes - physiology
Restriction Mapping
RNA, Messenger - genetics
Spermatozoa - enzymology
Zona Pellucida - physiology
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Summary:The physiological function of mammalian sperm acrosin has long been believed to be involved in the limited proteolysis of the oocyte zona pellucida, thus enabling the sperm to penetrate this extracellular matrix and to gain access to the oocyte plasma membrane. Here we show that male mice homozygous for a targeted mutation in the mouse acrosin gene are still fertile in spite of the complete absence of acrosin protease activity in the sperm. In vitro fertilization assays verified that sperm from the homozygous mutant mice penetrate the zona pellucida and effect fertilization. Therefore, acrosin is not essential for both sperm penetration of the zona pellucida and fertilization.
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ISSN:0021-9258
1083-351X
DOI:10.1016/S0021-9258(18)31772-1