The Binding of Concanavalin A to the Surface of Intact and Denuded Sea Urchin Eggs Affects the Fertilization Process by Altering the Structural Dynamics of Actin Filaments.

ABSTRACT: Sea urchin eggs are surrounded by a network of extracellular matrix, consisting of the jelly coat (JC) and vitelline layer (VL). While the voluminous JC evokes acrosomal reaction in the approaching sperm, the tight VL ensheathing the plasma membrane of the subjacent microvilli is known to be the subcellular site where 'sperm receptors' reside. In this study, we have examined the roles of JC and VL at fertilization in a combinatorial approach utilizing two different pretreatments of the eggs: (i) incubation with dithiothreitol (DTT) in alkaline seawater to remove JC and VL, (ii) masking the egg extracellular matrix with a carbohydrate-binding protein concanavalin A (Con A). Surprisingly, the results showed that the DTT-denuded eggs still engulfed sperm at fertilization, even more effectivel

SUBMITTER: Limatola N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12691429 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature