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Limatola N, Chun JT, Chiba K, Santella L. Dithiothreitol Affects the Fertilization Response in Immature and Maturing Starfish Oocytes. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1659. [PMID: 38002342 PMCID: PMC10669828 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Immature starfish oocytes isolated from the ovary are susceptible to polyspermy due to the structural organization of the vitelline layer covering the oocyte plasma membrane, as well as the distribution and biochemical properties of the actin cytoskeleton of the oocyte cortex. After the resumption of the meiotic cycle of the oocyte triggered by the hormone 1-methyladenine, the maturing oocyte reaches fertilizable conditions to be stimulated by only one sperm with a normal Ca2+ response and cortical reaction. This cytoplasmic ripening of the oocyte, resulting in normal fertilization and development, is due to the remodeling of the cortical actin cytoskeleton and germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Since disulfide-reducing agents such as dithiothreitol (DTT) are known to induce the maturation and GVBD of oocytes in many species of starfish, we analyzed the pattern of the fertilization response displayed by Astropecten aranciacus oocytes pre-exposed to DTT with or without 1-MA stimulation. Short treatment of A. aranciacus immature oocytes with DTT reduced the rate of polyspermic fertilization and altered the sperm-induced Ca2+ response by changing the morphology of microvilli, cortical granules, and biochemical properties of the cortical F-actin. At variance with 1-MA, the DTT treatment of immature starfish oocytes for 70 min did not induce GVBD. On the other hand, the DTT treatment caused an alteration in microvilli morphology and a drastic depolymerization of the cortical F-actin, which impaired the sperm-induced Ca2+ response at fertilization and the subsequent embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nunzia Limatola
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Napoli, Italy
| | - Jong Tai Chun
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Kazuyoshi Chiba
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan;
| | - Luigia Santella
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80121 Napoli, Italy
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2
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The Effect of Acidic and Alkaline Seawater on the F-Actin-Dependent Ca 2+ Signals Following Insemination of Immature Starfish Oocytes and Mature Eggs. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050740. [PMID: 36899875 PMCID: PMC10000582 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In starfish, the addition of the hormone 1-methyladenine (1-MA) to immature oocytes (germinal vesicle, GV-stage) arrested at the prophase of the first meiotic division induces meiosis resumption (maturation), which makes the mature eggs able to respond to the sperm with a normal fertilization response. The optimal fertilizability achieved during the maturation process results from the exquisite structural reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in the cortex and cytoplasm induced by the maturing hormone. In this report, we have investigated the influence of acidic and alkaline seawater on the structure of the cortical F-actin network of immature oocytes of the starfish (Astropecten aranciacus) and its dynamic changes upon insemination. The results have shown that the altered seawater pH strongly affected the sperm-induced Ca2+ response and the polyspermy rate. When immature starfish oocytes were stimulated with 1-MA in acidic or alkaline seawater, the maturation process displayed a strong dependency on pH in terms of the dynamic structural changes of the cortical F-actin. The resulting alteration of the actin cytoskeleton, in turn, affected the pattern of Ca2+ signals at fertilization and sperm penetration.
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3
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Regulation of the Actin Cytoskeleton-Linked Ca2+ Signaling by Intracellular pH in Fertilized Eggs of Sea Urchin. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091496. [PMID: 35563801 PMCID: PMC9100012 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In sea urchin, the immediate contact of the acrosome-reacted sperm with the egg surface triggers a series of structural and ionic changes in the egg cortex. Within one minute after sperm fuses with the egg plasma membrane, the cell membrane potential changes with the concurrent increases in intracellular Ca2+ levels. The consequent exocytosis of the cortical granules induces separation of the vitelline layer from the egg plasma membrane. While these cortical changes are presumed to prevent the fusion of additional sperm, the subsequent late phase (between 1 and 4 min after fertilization) is characterized by reorganization of the egg cortex and microvilli (elongation) and by the metabolic shift to activate de novo protein and DNA syntheses. The latter biosynthetic events are crucial for embryonic development. Previous studies suggested that the early phase of fertilization was not a prerequisite for these changes in the second phase since the increase in the intracellular pH induced by the exposure of unfertilized sea urchin eggs to ammonia seawater could start metabolic egg activation in the absence of the cortical granule exocytosis. In the present study, we have demonstrated that the incubation of unfertilized eggs in ammonia seawater induced considerable elongations of microvilli (containing actin filaments) as a consequence of the intracellular pH increase, which increased the egg’s receptivity to sperm and made the eggs polyspermic at fertilization despite the elevation of the fertilization envelope (FE). These eggs also displayed compromised Ca2+ signals at fertilization, as the amplitude of the cortical flash was significantly reduced and the elevated intracellular Ca2+ level declined much faster. These results have also highlighted the importance of the increased internal pH in regulating Ca2+ signaling and the microvillar actin cytoskeleton during the late phase of the fertilization process.
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Mohri T, Kyozuka K. Starfish oocytes of A. pectinifera reveal marked differences in sperm-induced electrical and intracellular calcium changes during oocyte maturation and at fertilization. Mol Reprod Dev 2021; 89:3-22. [PMID: 34729824 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Although changes in membrane potential and intracellular Ca2+ (Cai ) during fertilization in starfish oocytes have been known for long time, little is known precisely about how and what kind of channels are involved during oocyte maturation and in fertilization, and how the mechanisms of changes in Cai in oocytes develop during oocyte maturation. Since in starfish, oocyte maturation-inducing hormone, 1-methyladenine (1MA) is well known, we took advantage of it to investigate the developmental process of channel-function and changes in Cai in three different developmental stages using 1MA. Sperm-induced membrane current at voltage clamp and changes in Cai in starfish oocytes, Asterina pectinifera, were examined in stages of immature, partly mature (a state in 15-20 min after sufficient concentration, 1 µM of 1MA addition, or 30-40 min exposure to subthreshold concentration of 1MA), and mature oocytes (MO). We found some immature and many partly MOs showed fluctuating responses in membrane current, membrane potential, and corresponding changes in Cai , which are distinct from those in MOs. The responses in immature and partly MOs indicate physiologically characteristic responses of insufficient changes in Cai and its corresponding electrical responses at the partial developmental stage during maturation. Our data should shed light on the mechanism of egg activation and oocyte maturation in terms of examining membrane current and corresponding changes in Cai .
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuma Mohri
- Division of Cell structure, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Keiichiro Kyozuka
- Research Center for Marine Biology, Asamushi, Graduate School of Life Science, Tohoku University, Aomori, Japan
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5
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Rojas J, Hinostroza F, Vergara S, Pinto-Borguero I, Aguilera F, Fuentes R, Carvacho I. Knockin' on Egg's Door: Maternal Control of Egg Activation That Influences Cortical Granule Exocytosis in Animal Species. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:704867. [PMID: 34540828 PMCID: PMC8446563 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.704867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertilization by multiple sperm leads to lethal chromosomal number abnormalities, failed embryo development, and miscarriage. In some vertebrate and invertebrate eggs, the so-called cortical reaction contributes to their activation and prevents polyspermy during fertilization. This process involves biogenesis, redistribution, and subsequent accumulation of cortical granules (CGs) at the female gamete cortex during oogenesis. CGs are oocyte- and egg-specific secretory vesicles whose content is discharged during fertilization to block polyspermy. Here, we summarize the molecular mechanisms controlling critical aspects of CG biology prior to and after the gametes interaction. This allows to block polyspermy and provide protection to the developing embryo. We also examine how CGs form and are spatially redistributed during oogenesis. During egg activation, CG exocytosis (CGE) and content release are triggered by increases in intracellular calcium and relies on the function of maternally-loaded proteins. We also discuss how mutations in these factors impact CG dynamics, providing unprecedented models to investigate the genetic program executing fertilization. We further explore the phylogenetic distribution of maternal proteins and signaling pathways contributing to CGE and egg activation. We conclude that many important biological questions and genotype–phenotype relationships during fertilization remain unresolved, and therefore, novel molecular players of CG biology need to be discovered. Future functional and image-based studies are expected to elucidate the identity of genetic candidates and components of the molecular machinery involved in the egg activation. This, will open new therapeutic avenues for treating infertility in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Japhet Rojas
- Laboratorio Fisiología de la Reproducción, Departamento de Biología y Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.,Escuela de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Fernando Hinostroza
- Laboratorio Fisiología de la Reproducción, Departamento de Biología y Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.,Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados del Maule (CIEAM), Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.,Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Sebastián Vergara
- Laboratorio Fisiología de la Reproducción, Departamento de Biología y Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.,Escuela de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Ingrid Pinto-Borguero
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Felipe Aguilera
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ricardo Fuentes
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ingrid Carvacho
- Laboratorio Fisiología de la Reproducción, Departamento de Biología y Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
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6
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Santella L, Limatola N, Chun JT. Cellular and molecular aspects of oocyte maturation and fertilization: a perspective from the actin cytoskeleton. ZOOLOGICAL LETTERS 2020; 6:5. [PMID: 32313685 PMCID: PMC7158055 DOI: 10.1186/s40851-020-00157-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Much of the scientific knowledge on oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryonic development has come from the experiments using gametes of marine organisms that reproduce by external fertilization. In particular, echinoderm eggs have enabled the study of structural and biochemical changes related to meiotic maturation and fertilization owing to the abundant availability of large and transparent oocytes and eggs. Thus, in vitro studies of oocyte maturation and sperm-induced egg activation in starfish are carried out under experimental conditions that resemble those occurring in nature. During the maturation process, immature oocytes of starfish are released from the prophase of the first meiotic division, and acquire the competence to be fertilized through a highly programmed sequence of morphological and physiological changes at the oocyte surface. In addition, the changes in the cortical and nuclear regions are essential for normal and monospermic fertilization. This review summarizes the current state of research on the cortical actin cytoskeleton in mediating structural and physiological changes during oocyte maturation and sperm and egg activation in starfish and sea urchin. The common denominator in these studies with echinoderms is that exquisite rearrangements of the egg cortical actin filaments play pivotal roles in gamete interactions, Ca2+ signaling, exocytosis of cortical granules, and control of monospermic fertilization. In this review, we also compare findings from studies using invertebrate eggs with what is known about the contributions made by the actin cytoskeleton in mammalian eggs. Since the cortical actin cytoskeleton affects microvillar morphology, movement, and positioning of organelles and vesicles, and the topography of the egg surface, these changes have impacts on the fertilization process, as has been suggested by recent morphological studies on starfish oocytes and eggs using scanning electron microscopy. Drawing the parallelism between vitelline layer of echinoderm eggs and the zona pellucida of mammalian eggs, we also discuss the importance of the egg surface in mediating monospermic fertilization. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigia Santella
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli 80121, Italy
| | - Nunzia Limatola
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli 80121, Italy
| | - Jong Tai Chun
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, Napoli 80121, Italy
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7
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Altered actin cytoskeleton in ageing eggs of starfish affects fertilization process. Exp Cell Res 2019; 381:179-190. [PMID: 31082375 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Integrity of oocytes is of pivotal interest in the medical and zootechnical practice of in vitro fertilization. With time, oocytes undergo deterioration in quality, and ageing oocytes often exhibit compromised competence in fertilization and the subsequent embryonic development. With ageing oocytes and eggs of starfish (Astropecten aranciacus), we addressed the issue by examining changes of the subcellular structure and their performance at fertilization. Ageing eggs were simulated in two different experimental paradigms: i) oocytes were overmatured by 6 hours stimulation with 1-methyladenine (1-MA); ii) oocytes were removed from the gonad and maintained in seawater for 24 or 48 h before applying the hormonal stimulation (1-MA, 70 min). These eggs were compared with normally matured eggs (stimulated after isolation from the gonad with 1-MA for 70 min) with respect to the sperm-induced intracellular Ca2+ signaling and the structural changes of the egg surface. The cytoskeletal and ultrastructural differences in these eggs were assessed by confocal and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. In the two categories of ageing eggs, we have found remarkable structural modifications of the actin cytoskeleton and the cortical vesicles beneath the plasma membrane. At fertilization, these ageing eggs manifested an altered pattern of intracellular Ca2+ release, aberrant actin dynamics, and increased rate of polyspermy often despite full elevation of the fertilization envelope. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of spatio-temporal regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in the cortex of the eggs, and we postulate that the status of the actin cytoskeleton is one of the major determinants of the oocyte quality that ensures successful monospermic fertilization.
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8
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Maturation and fertilization of echinoderm eggs: Role of actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 506:361-371. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.09.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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9
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Benammar A, Ziyyat A, Lefèvre B, Wolf JP. Tetraspanins and Mouse Oocyte Microvilli Related to Fertilizing Ability. Reprod Sci 2016; 24:1062-1069. [DOI: 10.1177/1933719116678688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Achraf Benammar
- Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Ahmed Ziyyat
- Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
- Service d’Histologie Embryologie Biologie de la Reproduction–CECOS, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Brigitte Lefèvre
- Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Wolf
- Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
- Service d’Histologie Embryologie Biologie de la Reproduction–CECOS, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, Paris, France
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10
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Santella L, Limatola N, Chun JT. Calcium and actin in the saga of awakening oocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 460:104-13. [PMID: 25998739 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of the spermatozoon with the egg at fertilization remains one of the most fascinating mysteries of life. Much of our scientific knowledge on fertilization comes from studies on sea urchin and starfish, which provide plenty of gametes. Large and transparent, these eggs have served as excellent model systems for studying egg activation and embryo development in seawater, a plain natural medium. Starfish oocytes allow the study of the cortical, cytoplasmic and nuclear changes during the meiotic maturation process, which can also be triggered in vitro by hormonal stimulation. These morphological and biochemical changes ensure successful fertilization of the eggs at the first metaphase. On the other hand, sea urchin eggs are fertilized after the completion of meiosis, and are particularly suitable for the study of sperm-egg interaction, early events of egg activation, and embryonic development, as a large number of mature eggs can be fertilized synchronously. Starfish and sea urchin eggs undergo abrupt changes in the cytoskeleton and ion fluxes in response to the fertilizing spermatozoon. The plasma membrane and cortex of an egg thus represent "excitable media" that quickly respond to the stimulus with the Ca(2+) swings and structural changes. In this article, we review some of the key findings on the rapid dynamic rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton in the oocyte/egg cortex upon hormonal or sperm stimulation and their roles in the modulation of the Ca(2+) signals and in the control of monospermic fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigia Santella
- Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, Napoli, I-80121, Italy.
| | - Nunzia Limatola
- Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, Napoli, I-80121, Italy
| | - Jong T Chun
- Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, Napoli, I-80121, Italy
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11
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Santella L, Vasilev F, Chun JT. Fertilization in echinoderms. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2012; 425:588-94. [PMID: 22925679 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.07.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2012] [Accepted: 07/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
For more than 150 years, echinoderm eggs have served as overly favored experimental model systems in which to study fertilization. Sea urchin and starfish belong to the same phylum and thus share many similarities in their fertilization patterns. However, several subtle but fundamental differences do exist in the fertilization of sea urchin and starfish, reflecting their phylogenetic bifurcation approximately 500 million years ago. In this article we review some of the seminal and recent findings that feature similarities and differences in sea urchin and starfish at fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigia Santella
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, Napoli 80121, Italy.
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12
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Actin, more than just a housekeeping protein at the scene of fertilization. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2011; 54:733-43. [DOI: 10.1007/s11427-011-4202-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2011] [Accepted: 06/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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13
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Kyozuka K, Chun JT, Puppo A, Gragnaniello G, Garante E, Santella L. Actin cytoskeleton modulates calcium signaling during maturation of starfish oocytes. Dev Biol 2008; 320:426-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.05.549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2007] [Revised: 05/23/2008] [Accepted: 05/27/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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14
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Hirohashi N, Harada K, Chiba K. Hormone-induced cortical maturation ensures the slow block to polyspermy and does not couple with meiotic maturation in starfish. Dev Biol 2008; 318:194-202. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2007] [Revised: 03/17/2008] [Accepted: 03/18/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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15
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Moccia F, Billington RA, Santella L. Pharmacological characterization of NAADP-induced Ca2+ signals in starfish oocytes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2006; 348:329-36. [PMID: 16890912 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.05.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2006] [Accepted: 05/25/2006] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The recently discovered second messenger nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) is central to the onset of intracellular Ca2+ signals induced by several stimuli, including fertilization. The nature of the Ca2+ pool mobilized by NAADP is still controversial. Depending on the cell type, NAADP may target either an acidic compartment with lysosomal properties or ryanodine receptors (RyRs) on endoplasmic reticulum. In addition, NAADP elicits a robust Ca2+ influx into starfish oocytes by activating a Ca2+-mediated current across the plasma membrane. In the present study, we employed the single-electrode intracellular recording technique to assess the involvement of either acidic organelles or RyRs in NAADP-elicited Ca2+ entry. We found that neither drugs which interfere with acidic compartments nor inhibitors of RyRs affected NAADP-induced depolarization. These data further support the hypothesis that a yet unidentified plasma membrane Ca2+ channel is the target of NAADP in starfish oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Moccia
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy.
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16
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Matsuura RK, Chiba K. Unequal cell division regulated by the contents of germinal vesicles. Dev Biol 2004; 273:76-86. [PMID: 15302599 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2003] [Revised: 03/23/2004] [Accepted: 04/29/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Fertilization occurs during meiosis in many animals, when maternal centrosomes participate in the formation of spindles at the animal pole, which results in polar body formation. Paternal centrosomes do not participate in cell division during oocyte maturation. After meiosis, they form the spindles while the maternal centrosomes are discarded. It is unknown why paternal centrosomes do not form spindles during meiosis. Here, we show that the artificial incorporation of sperm at the animal pole of immature starfish oocytes causes unequal cell division and the formation of polar body-like fragments. The removal of germinal vesicles from the animal pole blocks the formation of polar body-like fragments. Furthermore, translocation of germinal vesicles to the vegetal pole by centrifugation induces the extrusion of polar body-like fragments from the vegetal pole, where sperm penetration is prerequisite. After germinal vesicle breakdown, cyclin B is localized in the maternal and paternal asters and spindles near the germinal vesicle. These results suggest that germinal vesicle components such as the cdc2-cyclin B complex interact with asters and spindles and can induce unequal cell division. During normal fertilization, paternal centrosomes are likely kept away from the germinal vesicle components, resulting in the inhibition of unequal paternal centrosome-dependent cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ri-ko Matsuura
- Department of Biology, Ochanomizu University, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Wessel GM, Brooks JM, Green E, Haley S, Voronina E, Wong J, Zaydfudim V, Conner S. The biology of cortical granules. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CYTOLOGY 2002; 209:117-206. [PMID: 11580200 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7696(01)09012-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
An egg-that took weeks to months to make in the adult-can be extraordinarily transformed within minutes during its fertilization. This review will focus on the molecular biology of the specialized secretory vesicles of fertilization, the cortical granules. We will discuss their role in the fertilization process, their contents, how they are made, and the molecular mechanisms that regulate their secretion at fertilization. This population of secretory vesicles has inherent interest for our understanding of the fertilization process. In addition, they have import because they enhance our understanding of the basic processes of secretory vesicle construction and regulation, since oocytes across species utilize this vesicle type. Here, we examine diverse animals in a comparative approach to help us understand how these vesicles function throughout phylogeny and to establish conserved themes of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- G M Wessel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 , USA
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18
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Lim D, Kyozuka K, Gragnaniello G, Carafoli E, Santella L. NAADP+ initiates the Ca2+ response during fertilization of starfish oocytes. FASEB J 2001; 15:2257-67. [PMID: 11641253 DOI: 10.1096/fj.01-0157com] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
We have explored the role of the recently discovered second messenger nicotinic acid adenine nucleotide phosphate (NAADP+) in Ca2+ swings that accompany the fertilization process in starfish oocytes. The injection of NAADP+ deep into the cytoplasm of oocytes matured by the hormone 1-methyladenine (1-MA), mobilized Ca2+ exclusively in the cortical layer, showing that the NAADP+-sensitive Ca2+ pool is restricted to the subplasma membrane region of the cell. At variance with this, InsP3 initiated the liberation of Ca2+ next to the point of injection in the center of the cell. The initial cortical Ca2+ liberation induced by NAADP+ was followed by a spreading of the Ca2+ wave to the remainder of the cell and by a massive cortical granule exocytosis similar to that routinely observed on injection of InsP3. A striking difference in the responses to NAADP+ and InsP3 was revealed by the removal of the nucleus from immature oocytes, i.e., from oocytes not treated with 1-MA. Whereas the Ca2+ response and the cortical granule exocytosis induced by NAADP+ were unaffected by the removal of the nucleus, the Ca2+ response promoted by InsP3 was significantly slowed. In addition, the cortical granule exocytosis was completely abolished. When enucleated oocytes were fertilized, the spermatozoon still promoted the Ca2+ wave and normal cortical exocytosis, strongly suggesting that the Ca2+ response was mediated by NAADP+ and not by InsP3. InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ stores may mediate the propagation of the wave initiated by NAADP+ since its spreading was strongly affected by removal of the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Lim
- Asamushi Marine Biological Station, Asamushi, Aomori 039-3501, Japan
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Santella L, De Riso L, Gragnaniello G, Kyozuka K. Cortical granule translocation during maturation of starfish oocytes requires cytoskeletal rearrangement triggered by InsP3-mediated Ca2+ release. Exp Cell Res 1999; 248:567-74. [PMID: 10222148 DOI: 10.1006/excr.1999.4425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cortical granules (secretory vesicles located under the cortex of mature oocytes) release their contents to the medium at fertilization. Their exocytosis modifies the extracellular environment, blocking the penetration of additional sperm. The granules translocate to the surface during the maturation process, and it has been suggested that they move to the cortex via cytoskeletal elements. In this paper we show that the increase in intracellular Ca2+, which the maturing hormone 1-methyladenine (1-MA) induces in starfish through the activation of inositol 1,4, 5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptors, triggers changes in filamentous actin, which then direct the correct movement and reorientation of the cortical granules and the elevation of the fertilization envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Santella
- Stazione Zoologica "A. Dohrn", Villa Comunale, Napoli, I-80121, Italy.
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Washitani-Nemoto S, Nemoto S. Activation at the germinal vesicle stage of starfish oocytes produces parthenogenetic development through the failure of polar body extrusion. Dev Growth Differ 1997; 39:295-303. [PMID: 9227896 DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-169x.1997.t01-2-00005.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Starfish oocytes can be fertilized after germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and artificial parthenogenesis can be induced by activating the oocytes after GVBD (post-GVBD activation). In the present study, parthenogenotes were obtained by the activation of immature oocytes with caffeine before treatment with 1-methyladenine (1-MeAde) to induce oocyte maturation. Most of the caffeine-treated eggs developed as tetraploids, as parthenogenotes produced by the post-GVBD activation. The parthengenotes were derived only from eggs that failed to extrude polar bodies, mostly from eggs failing to extrude a second polar body. Eggs derived from immature oocytes activated by A23187, treated with 1-MeAde and post-treated with cytochalasin B failed to extrude polar bodies, and eventually developed into parthenogenetic embryos. These results indicate that the present parthenogenesis mechanism shares the same characteristics as that achieved by post-GVBD activation in the suppression of polar body formation as a key means for successful starfish parthenogenesis.
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