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Foster B, Hugosson F, Scucchia F, Enjolras C, Babonis LS, Hoaen W, Martindale MQ. A novel in vivo system to study coral biomineralization in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. iScience 2024; 27:109131. [PMID: 38384856 PMCID: PMC10879693 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Coral conservation requires a mechanistic understanding of how environmental stresses disrupt biomineralization, but progress has been slow, primarily because corals are not easily amenable to laboratory research. Here, we highlight how the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, can serve as a model to interrogate the cellular mechanisms of coral biomineralization. We have developed transgenic constructs using biomineralizing genes that can be injected into Nematostella zygotes and designed such that translated proteins may be purified for physicochemical characterization. Using fluorescent tags, we confirm the ectopic expression of the coral biomineralizing protein, SpCARP1, in Nematostella. We demonstrate via calcein staining that SpCARP1 concentrates calcium ions in Nematostella, likely initiating the formation of mineral precursors, consistent with its suspected role in corals. These results lay a fundamental groundwork for establishing Nematostella as an in vivo system to explore the evolutionary and cellular mechanisms of coral biomineralization, improve coral conservation efforts, and even develop novel biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent Foster
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32080, USA
| | - Fredrik Hugosson
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32080, USA
| | - Federica Scucchia
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32080, USA
| | - Camille Enjolras
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32080, USA
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, Montpellier 34090, France
| | - Leslie S. Babonis
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32080, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - William Hoaen
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Mark Q. Martindale
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32080, USA
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Eckmair B, Jin C, Karlsson NG, Abed-Navandi D, Wilson IBH, Paschinger K. Glycosylation at an evolutionary nexus: the brittle star Ophiactis savignyi expresses both vertebrate and invertebrate N-glycomic features. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:3173-3188. [PMID: 32001617 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Echinoderms are among the most primitive deuterostomes and have been used as model organisms to understand chordate biology because of their close evolutionary relationship to this phylogenetic group. However, there are almost no data available regarding the N-glycomic capacity of echinoderms, which are otherwise known to produce a diverse set of species-specific glycoconjugates, including ones heavily modified by fucose, sulfate, and sialic acid residues. To increase the knowledge of diversity of carbohydrate structures within this phylum, here we conducted an in-depth analysis of N-glycans from a brittle star (Ophiactis savignyi) as an example member of the class Ophiuroidea. To this end, we performed a multi-step N-glycan analysis by HPLC and various exoglyosidase and chemical treatments in combination with MALDI-TOF MS and MS/MS. Using this approach, we found a wealth of hybrid and complex oligosaccharide structures reminiscent of those in higher vertebrates as well as some classical invertebrate glycan structures. 70% of these N-glycans were anionic, carrying either sialic acid, sulfate, or phosphate residues. In terms of glycophylogeny, our data position the brittle star between invertebrates and vertebrates and confirm the high diversity of N-glycosylation in lower organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Eckmair
- Department für Chemie, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, 1190 Wien, Austria
| | - Chunsheng Jin
- Institutionen för Biomedicin, Göteborgs Universitet, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Niclas G Karlsson
- Institutionen för Biomedicin, Göteborgs Universitet, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Iain B H Wilson
- Department für Chemie, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, 1190 Wien, Austria
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Paschinger K, Wilson IBH. Anionic and zwitterionic moieties as widespread glycan modifications in non-vertebrates. Glycoconj J 2019; 37:27-40. [PMID: 31278613 PMCID: PMC6994554 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-019-09874-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Glycan structures in non-vertebrates are highly variable; it can be assumed that this is a product of evolution and speciation, not that it is just a random event. However, in animals and protists, there is a relatively limited repertoire of around ten monosaccharide building blocks, most of which are neutral in terms of charge. While two monosaccharide types in eukaryotes (hexuronic and sialic acids) are anionic, there are a number of organic or inorganic modifications of glycans such as sulphate, pyruvate, phosphate, phosphorylcholine, phosphoethanolamine and aminoethylphosphonate that also confer a 'charged' nature (either anionic or zwitterionic) to glycoconjugate structures. These alter the physicochemical properties of the glycans to which they are attached, change their ionisation when analysing them by mass spectrometry and result in different interactions with protein receptors. Here, we focus on N-glycans carrying anionic and zwitterionic modifications in protists and invertebrates, but make some reference to O-glycans, glycolipids and glycosaminoglycans which also contain such moieties. The conclusion is that 'charged' glycoconjugates are a widespread, but easily overlooked, feature of 'lower' organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iain B H Wilson
- Department für Chemie, Universität für Bodenkultur, 1190, Wien, Austria.
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Karakostis K, Zanella-Cléon I, Immel F, Guichard N, Dru P, Lepage T, Plasseraud L, Matranga V, Marin F. A minimal molecular toolkit for mineral deposition? Biochemistry and proteomics of the test matrix of adult specimens of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. J Proteomics 2016; 136:133-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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5
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Ettensohn CA. Horizontal transfer of themsp130gene supported the evolution of metazoan biomineralization. Evol Dev 2014; 16:139-48. [DOI: 10.1111/ede.12074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Charles A. Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences; Carnegie Mellon University; 4400 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
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Livingston BT, Killian CE, Wilt F, Cameron A, Landrum MJ, Ermolaeva O, Sapojnikov V, Maglott DR, Buchanan AM, Ettensohn CA. A genome-wide analysis of biomineralization-related proteins in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Dev Biol 2006; 300:335-48. [PMID: 16987510 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2006.07.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2006] [Revised: 07/26/2006] [Accepted: 07/31/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Biomineralization, the biologically controlled formation of mineral deposits, is of widespread importance in biology, medicine, and engineering. Mineralized structures are found in most metazoan phyla and often have supportive, protective, or feeding functions. Among deuterostomes, only echinoderms and vertebrates produce extensive biomineralized structures. Although skeletons appeared independently in these two groups, ancestors of the vertebrates and echinoderms may have utilized similar components of a shared genetic "toolkit" to carry out biomineralization. The present study had two goals. First, we sought to expand our understanding of the proteins involved in biomineralization in the sea urchin, a powerful model system for analyzing the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie this process. Second, we sought to shed light on the possible evolutionary relationships between biomineralization in echinoderms and vertebrates. We used several computational methods to survey the genome of the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus for gene products involved in biomineralization. Our analysis has greatly expanded the collection of biomineralization-related proteins. We have found that these proteins are often members of small families encoded by genes that are clustered in the genome. Most of the proteins are sea urchin-specific; that is, they have no apparent homologues in other invertebrate deuterostomes or vertebrates. Similarly, many of the vertebrate proteins that mediate mineral deposition do not have counterparts in the S. purpuratus genome. Our findings therefore reveal substantial differences in the primary sequences of proteins that mediate biomineral formation in echinoderms and vertebrates, possibly reflecting loose constraints on the primary structures of the proteins involved. On the other hand, certain cellular and molecular processes associated with earlier events in skeletogenesis appear similar in echinoderms and vertebrates, leaving open the possibility of deeper evolutionary relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- B T Livingston
- Department of Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
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Pierce DC, Butler KD, Roer RD. Effects of exogenous N-acetylhexosaminidase on the structure and mineralization of the post-ecdysial exoskeleton of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2001; 128:691-700. [PMID: 11290451 DOI: 10.1016/s1096-4959(00)00362-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A cuticular glycosidase with characteristics of N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (HexNAcase) was identified in post-ecdysial crab cuticle. Its appearance coincided with changes in cuticular glycoproteins and the onset of mineralization. To test if HexNAcase might be the causative agent in the alteration of the glycans and initiation of calcification, newly molted crab cuticle was treated with exogenous HexNAcase. Treating cuticular extracts from crabs at 0 h post-ecdysis with exogenous HexNAcase mimicked those changes observed in vivo. Specifically, the enzyme decreased the concanavalin A affinity of an 83-kDa glycoprotein that binds to calcite crystals in vitro. Treating pieces of 0 h post-ecdysial cuticle with HexNAcase rendered them capable of nucleating calcite in vitro (similar to 5 h post-ecdysial cuticle), while untreated, 0 h controls remained uncalcified. The data imply a role of the cuticular HexNAcase-like enzyme in the initiation of calcite nucleation in the newly formed exoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Pierce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, NC 28403-3297, USA
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Latham VH, Tully MJ, Oppenheimer SB. A putative role for carbohydrates in sea urchin gastrulation. Acta Histochem 1999; 101:293-303. [PMID: 10443292 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-1281(99)80030-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have examined the effects of lectins on embryonic development. Recently, it has been shown that lectins actually enter the blastocoel of sea urchin embryos without microinjection and bind to specific cell types. The present study was performed to examine the effects of lectins on sea urchin gastrulation. Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sea urchin embryos were incubated with several lectins at concentrations from 0.01 microgram/ml to 100 micrograms/ml at 15-28 h in the presence or absence of the preferential binding sugars. The most interesting findings were that the mannose specific lectins Lens culinaris agglutinin (LcH) which binds to secondary mesenchyme cells involved in archenteron anchoring and Pisum sativum (PSA) caused exogastrulation. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) which binds to primary mesenchyme cells involved in skeletogenesis caused defective skeletogenesis. Our findings suggest that D-mannose-like residues (LcH and PSA specific sugar) may function in archenteron development and anchoring, while N-acetyl-D-glucosamine-like groups (WGA specific sugar) may contribute to control of primary mesenchyme positioning and function. Specific carbohydrate-containing receptors may, therefore, be of importance in specific gastrulation events.
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Affiliation(s)
- V H Latham
- Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge 91330-8303, USA
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Cho JW, Partin JS, Lennarz WJ. A technique for detecting matrix proteins in the crystalline spicule of the sea urchin embryo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1996; 93:1282-6. [PMID: 8577755 PMCID: PMC40071 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.93.3.1282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of proteins associated with the CaCO3-containing biocrystals found in a wide variety of marine organisms is well established. In these organisms, including the primitive skeleton (spicule) of the sea urchin embryo, the structural and functional role of these proteins either in the biomineralization process or in control of the structural features of the biocrystals is unclear. Recently, one of the matrix proteins of the sea urchin spicule, SM 30, has been shown to contain a carbohydrate chain (the 1223 epitope) that has been implicated in the process whereby Ca2+ is deposited as CaCo3. Because an understanding of the localization of this protein, as well as other proteins found within the spicule, is central to understanding their function, we undertook to develop methods to localize spicule matrix proteins in intact spicules, using immunogold techniques and scanning electron microscopy. Gold particles indicative of this matrix glycoprotein could not be detected on the surface of spicules that had been isolated from embryo homogenates and treated with alkaline hypochlorite to remove any associated membranous material. However, when isolated spicules were etched for 2 min with dilute acetic acid (10 mM) to expose more internal regions of the crystal, SM 30 and perhaps other proteins bearing the 1223 carbohydrate epitope were detected in the calcite matrix. These results, indicating that these two antigens are widely distributed in the spicule, suggest that this technique should be applicable to any matrix protein for which antibodies are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- J W Cho
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, State University of New York at Stony Brook 11794, USA
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10
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Affiliation(s)
- J Hardin
- Department of Zoology and Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA
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11
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Makabe KW, Kirchhamer CV, Britten RJ, Davidson EH. Cis-regulatory control of the SM50 gene, an early marker of skeletogenic lineage specification in the sea urchin embryo. Development 1995; 121:1957-70. [PMID: 7635044 DOI: 10.1242/dev.121.7.1957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The SM50 gene encodes a minor matrix protein of the sea urchin embryo spicule. We carried out a detailed functional analysis of a cis-regulatory region of this gene, extending 440 bp upstream and 120 bp downstream of the transcription start site, that had been shown earlier to confer accurate skeletogenic expression of an injected expression vector. The distal portion of this fragment contains elements controlling amplitude of expression, while the region from −200 to +105 contains spatial control elements that position expression accurately in the skeletogenic lineages of the embryo. A systematic mutagenesis analysis of this region revealed four adjacent regulatory elements, viz two copies of a positively acting sequence (element D) that are positioned just upstream of the transcription start site; an indispensable spatial control element (element C) that is positioned downstream of the start site; and further downstream, a second positively acting sequence (element A). We then constructed a series of synthetic expression constructs. These contained oligonucleotides representing normal and mutated versions of elements D, C, and A, in various combinations. We also changed the promoter of the SM50 gene from a TATA-less to a canonical TATA box form, without any effect on function. Perfect spatial regulation was also produced by a final series of constructs that consisted entirely of heterologous enhancers from the CyIIIa gene, the SV40 early promoter, and synthetic D, C, and A elements. We demonstrate that element C exercises the primary spatial control function of the region we analyzed. We term this a ‘locator’ element. This differs from conventional ‘tissue-specific enhancers’ in that while it is essential for expression, it has no transcriptional activity on its own, and it requires other, separable, positive regulatory elements for activity. In the normal configuration these ancillary positive functions are mediated by elements A and D. Only positively acting control elements were observed in the SM50 regulatory domain throughout this analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K W Makabe
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA
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12
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Kumari SS, Skinner DM. Proteins of crustacean exoskeleton: III. Glycoproteins in the Bermuda land crabGecarcinus lateralis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1995. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402710602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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13
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Shafer TH, Roer RD, Midgette-Luther C, Brookins TA. Postecdysial cuticle alteration in the blue crab,Callinectes sapidus: Synchronous changes in glycoproteins and mineral nucleation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1995. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402710303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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14
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Brown MF, Partin JS, Killian CE, Lennarz WJ. Spiculogenesis in the sea urchin embryo: Studies on the SM30 spicule matrix protein. Dev Growth Differ 1995. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-169x.1995.00008.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Akasaka K, Frudakis T, Killian C, George N, Yamasu K, Khaner O, Wilt F. Genomic organization of a gene encoding the spicule matrix protein SM30 in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. J Biol Chem 1994. [DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9258(17)32034-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Hwang SP, Partin JS, Lennarz WJ. Characterization of a homolog of human bone morphogenetic protein 1 in the embryo of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Development 1994; 120:559-68. [PMID: 8162855 DOI: 10.1242/dev.120.3.559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A cDNA clone encoding a protein homologous to human bone morphogenetic protein 1 (huBMP1) was isolated from a sea urchin embryo cDNA library. This sea urchin gene, named suBMP, encodes a protein of M(r) of 72 × 10(3). The deduced amino acid sequence of suBMP shares 72% sequence similarity (55% identity) with that of huBMP1. Like huBMP1 it also contains an N-terminal metalloendoprotease domain that shares sequence similarity with the astacin protease from crayfish, a C-terminal domain that is similar to the repeat domain found in C1r or C1s serine proteases, and an EGF-like segment. Although suBMP mRNA was detectable at a low level in the unfertilized egg, maximal expression of mRNA was observed at hatched blastula stage, with only a modest decrease in level at later stages of development. In situ hybridization studies revealed that suBMP mRNA is found in both ectodermal and primary mesenchyme cells in hatched blastula-stage embryos. Maximal expression of suBMP was observed at mesenchyme blastula, just before the onset of primitive skeleton (spicule) formation. SuBMP was found by immunoelectronmicroscopy in all cell types in late gastrula stage embryos. The antibody gold particles appeared in small clusters in the cytoplasm, on the surface of the cells and within the blastocoel. This distribution of suBMP, coupled with the finding that it was associated with membranes but was released by sodium carbonate treatment, suggests that the protein is secreted, and subsequently associates with a cell surface component. Two models for the possible function of suBMP in spiculogenesis in the sea urchin embryo are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P Hwang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, State University of New York at Stony Brook 11794-5215
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Mendoza LM, Nishioka D, Vacquier VD. A GPI-anchored sea urchin sperm membrane protein containing EGF domains is related to human uromodulin. J Cell Biol 1993; 121:1291-7. [PMID: 8509450 PMCID: PMC2119707 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.121.6.1291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
An Mr 63-kD sea urchin sperm flagellar membrane protein has been previously implicated as a possible receptor for egg jelly ligand(s) that trigger the sperm acrosome reaction (AR). The cDNA and deduced amino acid sequences of the 63-kD protein are presented. The open reading frame codes for a protein of 470 amino acids which contains a putative signal sequence of 25 residues. Western blots using antibodies to two synthetic peptides confirm the sequence to be that of the 63-kD protein. The mRNA is approximately 2,300 bases in length and the gene appears to be single copy. The protein is released from sperm membrane vesicles by treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, showing that it is anchored to the flagellar membrane by glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI). Although we cannot demonstrate involvement of the 63-kD protein in the AR, it is of potential interest because it shares significant similarity with the developmentally expressed proteins crumbs, notch and xotch as well as human uromodulin over a region that includes two separate EGF repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Mendoza
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0202
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