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Preliminary characterization of the multiple forms of ram sperm hyaluronidase.

ABSTRACT: An investigation was made of the inter-relationships and characteristics of various hyaluronidase forms isolated from ram spermatozoa. They were shown to be members of an oligomeric series, apparently formed by intermolecular disulphide cross-linking. Two monomer species were detected, alpha (Mr 89,600) and beta (Mr 81,200). Although the alpha species predominated, the two were evenly distributed throughout the oligomer population, and they shared antigenic determinants; the beta species did not arise from the alpha species as a result of catabolism following cell disruption. The oligomeric series was of the form [Hyal]n, where n = 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 etc.; no trimer was detectable. Though essentially cationic, part of the hyaluronidase population also had anionic characteristics, probably due to oxidation of free thiol groups. In the anionic subpopulation tetramers and higher oligomers predominated, whereas the non-anionic subpopulation was composed of monomers, dimers and tetramers. The pH optimum of the monomer was 4.3 in 0.2 M-NaCl/0.1 M-sodium citrate, whereas that of the anionic oligomers was 4.9. Both serum albumin and polylysine stimulated enzyme activity at pH 4.0 in the absence of NaCl; polylysine was particularly effective. NaCl diminished the stimulatory effects, and essentially suppressed them above the pH optimum. The specific activities of different oligomer populations were the same as that of the monomer, and conversion of oligomers into monomer by reduction had likewise no effect upon the specific activity. Low concentrations of poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene glycol) or polyvinylpyrrolidone stabilized soluble hyaluronidase activity by preventing the enzyme's binding to surfaces; solutions of anionic oligomers were further stabilized by NaCl. Enzyme preparations were stable for several months frozen in the presence of poly(vinyl alcohol) and salt.

SUBMITTER: Harrison RA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1149228 | biostudies-other | 1988 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:BackgroundCentrifugation is routinely employed in handling the ejaculates of some species, but it is not part of the commonly used protocols in ram. However, the development and implementation of new assisted reproductive technologies, alternative preservation models based on washing sperm from a cellular ageing-accelerating substance such as the seminal plasma, and basic studies in spermatology is associated with the use of centrifugation. This requires a specific evaluation of the centrifugation protocols considering the species-specific relationship with the potential damage produced by this procedure. No previous studies have determined the effect of different centrifugation forces on ram sperm. Therefore, we aimed to assess the performance of three centrifugal forces (600×g, 3000×g, and 6000×g for 10 min at room temperature) and their effects on ram sperm motility and functionality.ResultsSperm motility and functionality parameters were assessed at 0 h and after 2 h of incubation at 37 °C. As expected, a higher cell packaging degree was obtained at high centrifugation forces (P ≤ 0.0001). Cell packaging was unstable at all centrifugal forces. Thus, there was a high cell resuspension rate after less than 2 min. Regarding sperm quality, there was a change in movement pattern of 3000×g and 6000×g centrifuged sperm after 2 h of incubation at 37 °C, characterized by an increase in rapid progressive motility, linearity, straightness, and beat frequency, and a decrease in medium progressive motility, curvilinear velocity, path velocity, and head lateral amplitude. Non-significant differences were obtained among the different treatments concerning the total viability. However, we observed a significant increase (P ≤ 0.05) in the percentage of viable apoptotic sperm in the samples centrifuged at 6000×g at 0 h.ConclusionsCentrifugal forces equal to or greater than 3000×g induced some deleterious effects in ram sperm quality, and lower forces did not provide a successful cell packaging degree.

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Preliminary characterization of the multiple forms of ram sperm hyaluronidase.

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