Chemotactic behavior of egg mitochondria in response to sperm fusion in mice.

ABSTRACT: Mitochondria are the powerhouses of eukaryotic cells and their positioning contributes to fertilization and early developmental processes. We report that sperm fusion triggers Ca²⁺ oscillations and mitochondrial movement toward fused sperm (mitochondrial chemotaxis) in mouse eggs. Mitochondria functioned in Ca²⁺ storage and were colocalized with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during Ca²⁺ oscillations. Mitochondria then moved toward the fused sperm. Sperm extracts lacking nuclei induced Ca²⁺ oscillations, but did not promote mitochondrial chemotaxis. Our results suggest that sperm fusion motivates Ca²⁺ oscillation-independent mitochondrial chemotaxis. This phenomenon indicates that egg mitochondria interact with sperm materials, presumably

SUBMITTER: Iwai M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6240845 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature