Modification of Crocodile Spermatozoa Refutes the Tenet That Post-testicular Sperm Maturation Is Restricted To Mammals.

ABSTRACT: Competition to achieve paternity has contributed to the development of a multitude of elaborate male reproductive strategies. In one of the most well-studied examples, the spermatozoa of all mammalian species must undergo a series of physiological changes, termed capacitation, in the female reproductive tract before realizing their potential to fertilize an ovum. However, the evolutionary origin and adaptive advantage afforded by capacitation remains obscure. Here, we report the use of comparative and quantitative proteomics to explore the biological significance of capacitation in an ancient reptilian species, the Australian saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus,). Our data reveal that exposure of crocodile spermatozoa to capacitation stimuli elicits a cascade of physiological re

SUBMITTER: Nixon B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6427239 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature