Water insoluble fraction of egg yolk maintains porcine sperm motility by activating adenylate cyclase.

The decrease in motility of porcine cauda epididymal sperm was less than that of caput epididymal sperm in the medium containing bicarbonate. This may be due to the difference of sensitivity of adenylate cyclase to bicarbonate between mature and immature sperm; activation of mature sperm enzyme by bicarbonate was higher than that of immature sperm. Nondialysable fraction of egg yolk prevented the decrease in motility of immature sperm in the presence of bicarbonate, but it was not effective for the motility of mature sperm under the same condition, because only bicarbonate is sufficient for the maintenance of its motility. In the absence of bicarbonate, both mature and immature sperm required egg yolk to maintain motility. The favorable effect of egg yolk on the motility is ascribed to the enhancement of intracellular cAMP level. Partial fractionation of egg yolk showed that water-insoluble lipoprotein fraction contains factor(s) which activates adenylate cyclase in sperm plasma membrane. This is the first report in which high molecular weight activator of the sperm enzyme was demonstrated.     

Sodium bicarbonate in seminal plasma stimulates the motility of mammalian spermatozoa through direct activation of adenylate cyclase

Recently, a low molecular weight factor, which specifically stimulates sperm adenylate cyclase, was found in porcine seminal plasma (Okamura, N., and Sugita, Y. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 13056-13062). The purified factor was analyzed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, infrared spectroscopy, and elementary analysis and identified as sodium bicarbonate. The effects of sodium bicarbonate both on adenylate cyclase activity in porcine spermatozoa and on sperm motility have been studied. Sperm adenylate cyclase was found to be specifically activated by bicarbonate over the physiological concentration range. In contrast, the adenylate cyclase activity in other tissues was not affected. The same concentration range of bicarbonate which resulted in activation of adenylate cyclase also stimulated sperm motility. The motility and enzyme activity of spermatozoa in all species so far tested (human, bovine, rat, mouse, and dog) were found to be similarly sensitive to bicarbonate concentration. These results show that the bicarbonate-sensitive adenylate cyclase system regulates sperm motility and suggest that this system is common to all mammals.     

Activation of spermatozoan adenylate cyclase by a low molecular weight factor in porcine seminal plasma

The ejaculated porcine spermatozoa were fractionated into the cytosol, membrane, midpiece plus tail (flagella) and head fractions, and their adenylate cyclase activities were measured. About 65% of the total activity was located in the flagella fraction. For all the fractions, Mn2+-dependent adenylate cyclase activity was about 20 times higher than Mg2+-dependent activity, and guanine nucleotides, fluoride, and other reagents tested did not activate adenylate cyclase. The results suggest that the GTP-dependent regulatory subunit is absent in porcine spermatozoa. The porcine seminal plasma was found to stimulate the adenylate cyclase activity in spermatozoa. The stimulating factor in porcine seminal plasma was partially purified by gel filtration and the molecular weight of the factor appeared to be between 200 and 300. The partially purified factor is heat stable and is not inactivated by treatment with Pronase, trypsin, phospholipase A2 or D but is inactivated by acid hydrolysis. It is easily soluble in water, partially soluble in methanol, and insoluble in ethanol, ethyl ether, chloroform, or acetone. The activation of sperm adenylate cyclase by the factor occurred without a time lag. The activating effect was dose-dependent, saturated at high dose, and ascribed to the increase of the maximal velocity (Vmax). The effect of the factor appears to be limited to adenylate cyclase in spermatozoa; the factor activated adenylate cyclase both in porcine and bovine spermatozoa but failed to activate those in other porcine tissues. The factor was shown to activate the enzyme not only in the ejaculated spermatozoa but also in the epididymal sperm. The factor was also found to elevate the cAMP level in the intact porcine spermatozoa. The factor enhanced the motility of corpus and cauda epididymal spermatozoa. These findings indicate the possibility that this factor initiates the spermatozoan motility upon ejaculation through directly activating adenylate cyclase.     

Immunofluorescent localization of a murine seminal vesicle proteinase inhibitor

The indirect immunofluorescent technique was used to localize a proteinase inhibitor isolated from murine seminal vesicles. The inhibitor was found in the lumen and in the apical epithelium of the seminal vesicle but not in the testes, epididymides, ductus deferens or Cowper's glands. It was also associated with the anterior acrosomal region of ejaculated sperm and sperm recovered from the female tract within 5 min of coitus. The inhibitor is removed from uterine sperm between 2 to 4 h postcoitus, however sperm recovered from the uterus 2 h postcoitus will rebind inhibitor. The inhibitor is not normally associated with epididymal or ductus sperm although these sperm will bind purified inhibitor in vitro.     

Features of a seminal proteinase inhibitor- zona pellucida-binding component on murine spermatozoa

Murine cauda epididymal sperm contain sites on the plasma membrane over the apical portion of the acrosome that recognize proteinase inhibitors and the homologous zona pellucida. Ten times more of the component can be extracted from cauda and ductus sperm than from equal numbers of caput and corpus sperm. Likewise, few sperm from the upper epididymal regions are able to bind seminal inhibitor, while the majority of sperm from the cauda and ductus do bind. Cauda epididymal and ductus sperm lose little of their ability to bind inhibitor after a 4-hour in vitro incubation in either a capacitating or a noncapacitating medium. The percentage of naturally inseminated sperm with the seminal inhibitor bound to their surface decreases to about 10 after 4 hours in utero. Approximately 80% of these sperm show positive fluorescence when given the opportunity to rebind the inhibitor, and these sperm do have an intact plasma membrane over the apical portion of the acrosome. Furthermore, after 4 hours in utero, the inhibitor bound in the same region of the sperm head as it did on freshly ejaculated sperm. The seminal inhibitor inhibits the binding of sperm to the zona if added during the first 15 minutes of incubation but has no effect on attachment. The data indicate that sperm gain the ability to bind the seminal inhibitor during the epididymal sojourn. Furthermore, this binding capacity is not lost during in vitro or in utero incubation. The site is not involved in sperm-zona attachment but does participate in the binding of sperm to the zona.     

Stimulation of partially purified adenylate cyclase from bull sperm by bicarbonate

Solubilized and partially purified adenylate cyclase from bull sperm was found to be specifically activated (up to 6-fold) by sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and to a lesser extent by NaNO3. Other sodium salts were either ineffective (e.g. NaCOOH) or inhibitory (e.g. NaHSO3, NaHSO4 and Na2B4O7). Stimulation by NaHCO3 was dose-dependent in the range of 0-40 mM and was greater when enzyme activity was assayed in the presence of magnesium as compared with manganese ions. Bicarbonate seems to affect maximal enzyme velocity (Vmax) and has no effect on the Km of adenylate cyclase for Mn-ATP. Stimulation of adenylate cyclase by NaHCO3 coincided with the elution pattern of the enzyme as recorded following chromatography on DEAE-cellulose or gel filtration on BioGel P-100. These results suggest that in the course of stimulation of sperm adenylate cyclase, bicarbonate is likely to interact directly with the enzyme. Furthermore, this intrinsic and unique property of sperm adenylate cyclase may explain results reported by others on the stimulation of cAMP production by bicarbonate in intact and broken sperm preparations and suggest a biochemical basis for enhanced sperm motility associated with high bicarbonate concentrations.     

Serine proteinase inhibitors of seminal plasma of teleost fish: distribution of activity, electrophoretic profiles and relation to proteinase inhibitors of blood

Anti-proteinase activity has been found in seminal plasma of eight teleost fish species: brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, lake whitefish, bream, northern pike, Danube salmon and burbot. This activity correlated with seminal plasma protein and sperm concentrations. Using a mammalian (bovine) trypsin for detecting proteinase inhibitors it was found for the first time that there are species-specific electrophoretic profiles of anti-proteinase activity. One to three bands could be identified by this method. However, additional proteinase inhibitors could be identified by using fish (cod) trypsin. These inhibitors were detected in seminal plasma of salmonids and coregonids and have a slow migration rate. Fast-migrating proteinase inhibitors were present in rainbow, brown and brook trout, northern pike, whitefish and burbot. These inhibitors could be detected in brook and brown trout by using either trypsins. However, they were detected only with bovine trypsin in rainbow trout, northern pike, whitefish and burbot. These results suggest that multiple forms of serine proteinase inhibitors exist in seminal plasma of teleost fish and they differ in their affinity toward serine proteinases. Seminal plasma serine proteinase inhibitors of rainbow trout migrated during electrophoresis similarly to blood plasma proteinase inhibitors, and suggests that the two inhibitors may be similar or the same. Anti-proteinase specific activity was similar in blood and seminal plasma. Proteinase inhibitors of fish seminal plasma seem to be an important part of sperm physiology, possibly related to protection of spermatozoa. Staining for detection of serine proteinase inhibitors also allowed detection of presence of nonspecific esterase in seminal plasma of most species.     

Extraction of the adenylate cyclase-activating factor of bovine sperm and its identification as a trypsin-like protease

We previously reported the activation of adenylate cyclases from rat brain (Johnson, R. A., Awad, J. A., Jakobs, K. H., and Schultz, G., (1983) FEBS Lett. 152, 11-16) and from human platelets (Jakobs, K. H., Johnson, R. A., and Schultz, G. (1983) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 756, 369-375) by a factor derived from bovine sperm. In this report we describe the conditions for the extraction of the factor from bovine sperm and characteristics of its effects on adenylate cyclase which are consistent with its being a protease. The activating capacity of sperm particles was extracted from previously washed and frozen sperm into a 30,000 X g supernatant fraction by various salts, but not by the nonionic detergent Lubrol-PX. The amount of extracted factor: (a) was greatest with NH4HCO3 greater than NaCl greater than Na acetate; (b) was optimal with 0.5 M salt; (c) was not appreciably affected by the pH of the extraction buffer between pH 5.0 and 8.5; and (d) exhibited the greatest specific activity at the lower pH. The extracted sperm factor could be concentrated without loss by ultrafiltration on Amicon PM-10 membranes. The effect on adenylate cyclase of concentrated and desalted sperm extracted was inhibited 50% by various salts at 10 to 30 mM. The effects of the sperm factor to activate platelet adenylate cyclase, to block its inhibition via the alpha-adrenoceptor, and to block inhibition of stimulated forms of the enzyme by stable guanine nucleotides were prevented by protease inhibitors. A 50% reduction in the sperm factor's activation of platelet adenylate cyclase was caused by 30 nM soybean trypsin inhibitor, 30 nM alpha 2-macroglobulin, 300 nM leupeptin, 1 microM antipain, 15 microM aprotinin, and 100 microM benzamidine. Up to 3 mM phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride was without effect on activation of the platelet cyclase by the sperm factor. The effects of the sperm factor persisted after its removal by the washing of pretreated platelet membranes and after its inactivation by the subsequent addition of leupeptin. The data strongly support the conclusion that the bovine sperm factor is a trypsin-like protease. alpha-Chymotrypsin, trypsin, and sperm acrosin were comparably effective in stimulating the platelet adenylate cyclase 5- to 8-fold, with concentrations eliciting maximal stimulation being: 200 ng trypsin/ml; 2 micrograms alpha-chymotrypsin/ml; and 2 micrograms acrosin/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effects of proteinase inhibitors on adenylate cyclase.

The effects of a number of proteinase inhibitors on rat ovarian and rat hepatic adenylate cyclase preparations were examined. N alpha-tosylarginine methyl ester, 7-amino-1-chloro-3-L-tosylamidoheptan-2-one, 1-chloro-4-phenyl-3-L-tosylamidobutan-2-one, 1-chloro-4-methyl-3-L-tosylamidopentan-2-one and other low-molecular-weight proteinase inhibitors blocked hormonally stimulated adenylate cyclase from either source with hepatic preparations requiring higher concentrations. Addition of nucleotides (ATP, GTP, GDP, CTP or ITP) to inhibited ovarian preparations did not reverse inhibition, nor did dithiothreitol reverse phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride-inhibited ovarian adenylate cyclase. The kinetics of the inhibition of rat ovarian adenylate cyclase were examined by following the production of cyclic AMP after the addition of inhibitors to membrane preparations preincubated under assay conditions with human choriogonadotropin, guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate of NaF. 7-Amino-1-chloro-3-L-tosylamidoheptan-2-one, 1-chloro-4-phenyl-3-L-tosylamidobutan-2-one and 1-chloro-4-methyl-3-L-tosylamidopentan-2-one had two effects on human-choriogonadotropin-stimulated adenylate cyclase. At low concentrations (less than or equal to 0.2 mM) there was an irreversible inhibition of hormonally-stimulated cyclase with maximum first-order inhibitory rate constants of 0.05--0.08 min-1. At higher concentrations the irreversible effect persisted, but, in addition, there was a marked decrease in the cyclase initial velocity to 25--50% of that of control values. N alpha-tosylarginine methyl ester had similar effects; at low concentrations (less than or equal to 2 mM) it inhibited irreversibly, and at higher concentrations it decreased the initial velocity (50% at 10 mM). At high concentrations (greater than 3 mM) N alpha-tosylarginine methyl ester also inhibited NaF- and guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imidol]-triphosphate-stimulated cyclase but in a reversible manner. 7-Amino-1-chloro-3-L-tosylamidoheptan-2-one inhibited NaF-stimulated adenylate cyclase in two ways, as for human-choriogonadotropin-stimulated adenylate cyclase, but required 10--20-fold higher concentrations. The low-concentration irreversible effect can be explained by a continual inactive in equilibrium active conversion of adenylate cyclase during hormonal stimulation in which the inactive to active conversion is blocked by the inhibitors. The high-concentration effect is a direct one on the active catalytic moiety of the enzyme.     

Inhibition of the human sperm acrosome reaction by proteinase inhibitors

The analogue of the second messenger cAMP, dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP), was shown to induce the human sperm acrosome reaction to the same extent as calcium ionophore A23187, providing preliminary evidence for the involvement of the adenylate cydase system in the acrosome reaction (AR) of human spermatozoa. Using the human synchronous acrosome reaction system, proteinase inhibitors were tested for their effect on the dbcAMP-induced human sperm acrosome reaction. The proteinase inhibitor 4′-acctamidophenyl4-guanidinoben-zoate (AGB), an inhibitor of proacrosin activation and of acrosin, when added at either the onset of incubation or to capacitated spermatozoa, 5 min prior to stimulation by dbcAMP, significantly (P < 0.01) inhibited the acrosome reaction at final concentrations of 1 × 10^?4 M to 1 × 10^?6 M in comparison to dbcAMP treatment alone. At concentrations less than 1 × 10^?6 M, no significant inhibitory effect was seen. Similarly, para-aminobenzamidine (pAB), also an inhibitor of proacrosin activation and of acrosin, significantly (P < 0.01) inhibited the dbcAMP-induced acrosome reaction at final concentrations of 1 × 10-4 M to I × 10-6 M when added at either the onset of incubation or to capacitated spermatozoa, 5 min prior to stimulation by dbcAMP, in comparison to stimulation by dbcAMP alone. However, at concentrations less than 1 × 10^?6 M, no significant (P > 0.05) inhibitory effect was seen. These results indicate that a serine proteinase, most likely acrosin, has a role in the human sperm acrosome reaction and suggest that the enzyme functions after the involvement of the adenylate cyclase system.     

Effects of yeast proteinase A, proteinase B and carboxypeptidase Y on yeast phosphofructokinase.

Incubation of a crude yeast extract containing phosphofructokinase with proteinase A, proteinase B or carboxypeptidase Y gave the following results: Proteinase B and carboxypeptidase Y did not change the activity of phosphofructokinase during incubation. On the other hand, incubation with proteinase A resulted in a 40-100% activation; continued incubation, however, led to an inactivation of the enzyme. Addition of allosteric effectors did not change the activation or inactivation process. The activated phosphofructokinase was not changed with respect to pH optimum and ATP inhibition. Molecular weight determination of phosphofructokinase in crude extracts in the presence of inhibitors of proteinase A indicated a molecular weight of 700000. Without inhibitors of proteinase A, the molecular weight was determined to be 600 000, while after 40-100% activation by proteinase A, a molecular weight of 500 000 was obtained. The activity profile of proteinase A in density gradients indicated that this enzyme is bound to variety of cellular proteins.     

Isolation and characterization of two proteinase inhibitors from the male reproductive tract of mice

Low molecular weight, acid-stable proteinase inhibitors from epididymal and seminal vesicle homogenates were isolated and characterized. The isolation procedure consisted of gel filtration, trypsin affinity, and ion exchange chromatography. The inhibitor from seminal vesicle homogenates has a molecular weight of approximately 6,200, and that of the epididymal inhibitor was estimated at 4,000. Antiserum directed against the seminal vesicle inhibitor did not react with epididymal components. The epididymal inhibitor shows competitive, whereas the seminal vesicle inhibitor shows noncompetitive inhibition against trypsin on double reciprocal plots. Both inhibitors are effective against trypsin and acrosin but not against chymotrypsin, kallikrein, thrombin, or plasmin. To verify site of origin and to investigate androgen dependency of the epididymal inhibitor, mice were efferentiectomized, orchiectomized, or orchiectomized with androgen supplementation. Gel filtration profiles of acid-treated epididymal homogenates from normal and efferentiectomized animals show inhibitor peaks in the same regions. The concentration of acid-stable inhibitor from epididymal homogenates decreased with orchiectomy but returned to normal values when exogenous androgen was supplied. These observations suggest that the low molecular weight inhibitor in the epididymal homogenates is distinct from that in the seminal vesicles. Furthermore, the inhibitor associated with epididymal homogenates is androgen-dependent, and the epididymis is the site of origin of this inhibitor.     

Purification of bicarbonate-sensitive sperm adenylylcyclase by 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid-affinity chromatography.

Anion transport inhibitors, such as SITS (4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid) and heparin, inhibit reversibly the bicarbonate-sensitive adenylylcyclase of porcine sperm plasma membrane. In the light of this, SITS- and heparin-affinity chromatographies were applied in order to purify sperm adenylylcyclase. SITS-Affi-Gel 102 binds proteins extracted from the porcine cauda epididymal sperm plasma membrane by Lubrol-PX, more selectively than heparin-agarose. However, recovery of adenylylcyclase activity is higher when heparin-agarose is used. The hormone-sensitive liver adenylylcyclase, which is less sensitive to bicarbonate than sperm enzyme, has less affinity for these affinity resins than sperm enzyme. Adenylylcyclase can be purified to apparent homogeneity on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (isoelectric focusing/sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) from the Lubrol-PX extract of the purified sperm plasma membrane by using SITS-affinity chromatography at the first step of the purification followed by preparative isoelectric focusing and gel filtration. The molecular weight and pI of the purified enzyme are 46,300 and 6.9, respectively. The purified enzyme activity is highly dependent on Mn2+. Bicarbonate activates even the purified enzyme both by decreasing Km and by increasing Vmax.     

Thrombin-like inhibitory action of trypsin and trypsin-like proteases on human platelet adenylate cyclase

The effects of trypsin, acrosin and a recently described trypsin-like protease from bovine sperm were studied on adenylate cyclase activity in membranes of human platelets. These proteases caused an immediate decrease in adenylate cyclase activity, which was independent of the platelet membrane concentration used and which was constant for up to 20 min of incubation at 25 degrees C. When the incubation was prolonged, the proteases eliminated their own inhibitory action as well as that of the inhibitory hormone epinephrine. The adenylate cyclase inhibition caused by the proteases was strictly dependent on the presence of GTP (EC50 approximately 0.1 microM), whereas in the absence of GTP only minor changes in enzyme activity were observed at the conditions and protease concentrations used. Maximal inhibition caused by the proteases was between 40% and 60%. Half-maximal inhibition by the purified proteases trypsin and acrosin was observed at about 30 ng/ml and 2 micrograms/ml respectively. Inhibition of platelet adenylate cyclase by the proteases was partially additive with that caused by epinephrine, while with thrombin no additivity was observed. The serine protease inhibitor leupeptin blocked the actions of the proteases when added simultaneously with the enzymes, but was ineffective when added later on. Treatment of platelet membranes with the alkylating N-ethylmaleimide at low concentrations and Mn2+ ions (greater than or equal to 1 mM), both agents known to abolish inhibition of adenylate cyclase via the inhibitory guanine-nucleotide-binding protein Gi, eliminated the inhibitory action of the proteases. The data indicate that trypsin and trypsin-like proteases have two opposite effects on the platelet adenylate cyclase system, the well-documented elimination of Gi action and, as shown here, an immediate activation of Gi with subsequent adenylate cyclase inhibition. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the activation of Gi caused by the proteases is due to an interaction of the proteases with specific cell-surface receptor sites in a manner similar to thrombin.     

Characterization of acid and neutral alpha-mannosidases in bull semen and reproductive organs

Acid and neutral alpha-mannosidase activities were studied in the bull reproductive tissues, isolated spermatozoa, epididymal and seminal vesicle secretion and seminal plasma. The acid enzyme in the seminal plasma mainly derived from the epididymal secretion, while the neutral one was enriched in the sperm cells. The latter activity in the seminal plasma appears to be due to an enzyme released from the cytoplasmic droplets in the epididymis. The acid enzyme had a molecular weight of 220,000-320,000, pI 7.3-6.0 and an optimum at pH 4.0. It was sensitive to swainsonine but was stimulated by Zn2+. The neutral enzyme had a molecular weight of 360,000-460,000, pI 5.4-4.7 and showed double optima at pH 5.5 and 6.0-7.0. It was resistant to swainsonine but was markedly activated by Co2+ or Fe2+. The neutral enzyme was also more sensitive to thermal inactivation than the acid one.     

Cathepsin L--a latent proteinase in guinea pig sperm

Guinea pig spermatozoa were found to contain a fully-latent cysteine proteinase that could be unmasked by incubating epididymal sperm for 2 hr at pH 3.5 and 37 degrees C. The proteinase was identified as cathepsin L (EC 3.4.22.15) on the basis of its optimal hydrolysis of benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Arg-7-(4-methyl)coumarylamide (Z-Phe-Arg-NMec) at pH 5.5; lack of action on Z-Arg-Arg-NMec and Arg-NMec; urea-enhanced digestion of azocasein; marked sensitivity to thiol reagents, leupeptin, Z-Phe-Phe-CHN2, and L-trans-epoxy-succinylleucylamido(3-methyl)butane (Ep-475 or E-64-c); and insensitivity to pepstatin and serine proteinase inhibitors. Gossypol, a male antifertility agent, was inhibitory. The unmasking phenomenon was reversibly inhibited by HgCl2 and mersalyl acid, and prevented by leupeptin and Ep-475, but not by pepstatin.     

Inhibition of the catalytic subunit of ram sperm adenylate cyclase by adenosine

Adenosine inhibits ram sperm adenylate cyclase activity which is membrane-bound and comprises only the catalytic subunit. The inhibition parameters of adenylate cyclase by adenosine were not modified when the enzyme was purified 3 to 5,000 fold. Optimal inhibition by adenosine was found to require a high concentration of manganese, and exhibited a noncompetitive pattern up to a concentration of 1 mM adenosine. Adenosine was the most potent inhibitor among various analogs tested with the following rank order of potencies: adenosine greater than 2'O-methyladenosine greater than 2'deoxyadenosine much greater than 2 chloroadenosine. Studies with agonists and antagonists of the "R"-type adenosine receptor led us to conclude that adenosine inhibits ram sperm adenylate cyclase via a "P"-site carried by the catalytic subunit itself.     

Calcium-dependent Desensitization of Adenylate Cyclase in Rat Cerebral Cortical Slices

Incubation of slices of rat cerebral cortical grey matter in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate-glucose buffer induced a rapid decline in the responsiveness of the adenylate cyclase in subsequently prepared membrane preparations to stimulation by various activators of the enzyme. The loss of responsiveness was time- and temperature-dependent, showed an absolute dependence on extracellular calcium ions, and was mimicked by the presence of serine proteases in the incubation medium. The resultant adenylate cyclase preparation was partially responsive to activation by fluoride and guanylylimidodiphosphate but had become virtually unresponsive to activation by ganglioside, trypsin, or beta-adrenergic agonists. The loss of responsiveness of adenylate cyclase was not altered if slices were incubated with depolarizing agents, putative neurotransmitters, receptor blockers, serine protease inhibitors, or adenosine deaminase. The nature of the calcium-dependent mechanism involved in the loss responsiveness of membranal adenylate cyclase is unknown. A suggested mechanism for the loss of sensitivity is the action of a membrane-bound, calcium-dependent protease.     

Evidence for a proteinase inhibitor binding component associated with murine spermatozoa

The supernatants of frozen-thawed murine epididymal sperm suspensions contain a heat-labile component capable of binding a low molecular weight, acid-stable proteinase inhibitor of seminal vesicle origin. The substance has a molecular weight of approximately 15,000 and can be isolated by affinity chromatography using the inhibitor as the ligand. Although the substance has no inherent enzymatic properties, it will decrease the activity of the seminal inhibitor in the standard N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) indicate that the substance, when bound to microtiter plates, is capable of binding the seminal vesicle inhibitor. Turkey egg white trypsin inhibitor will decrease the amount of the seminal inhibitor that will bind to the substance, while noninhibitor proteins, e.g., bovine serum albumin or insulin, have no effect. Turkey egg white and lima bean trypsin inhibitor will also decrease the amount of seminal vesicle inhibitor capable of binding to washed sperm. These data indicate the presence of an inhibitor acceptor site associated with murine epididymal spermatozoa.     

Multicatalytic proteinase in fish muscle

A partially active and a latent form of multicatalytic protease (MCP) were isolated from fish skeletal muscle. Both forms were inactive against protein substrates, but their activity against peptide substrates differed in one order of magnitude. The chymotrypsin-like activity of the partially active form was moderately stimulated by fatty acids and SDS, whereas its trypsin-like activity was inhibited by the same reagents. In contrast, both activities of the latent form were strongly stimulated by SDS. The chymotrypsin-like activity of the latent form was also stimulated by heating or high urea concentrations, whereas its trypsin-like activity did not change or was inhibited respectively by these treatments. These activation effects were irreversible. Pre-treatment of the latent form with SDS or urea in the absence of substrate led to its irreversible inactivation, whereas activation by pre-heating occurred in the presence or absence of substrate. These results suggest that MCP can exist in several active states with distinct properties. Studies on the distribution of MCP in fish tissues showed a much higher level of the enzyme in gonads than in any other tissue, suggesting a role of MCP in development.Abbreviations MCP multicatalytic proteinase - Suc succinyl - Bz benzoyl - Z carbobenzoxy - NMec 4-methyl-7-coumarylamide - CTAB cetyl trimethylammonium bromide