Phospholipase Cζ (PLCζ) versus postacrosomal sheath WW domain-binding protein (PAWP): Which molecule will survive as a sperm factor?

During mammalian fertilization, sperm is fused with the oocyte's membrane, triggering the resumption of meiosis from the metaphase II arrest, the extrusion of the second polar body, and the exocytosis of cortical granules; these events are collectively called 'oocyte activation.' In all species studied to date, the transient rise in the cytosolic level of calcium (in particular, the repeated calcium increases called 'calcium oscillations' in mammals) is required for these events. Researchers have focused on identifying the factor(s) that can induce calcium oscillations during fertilization. Sperm-specific phospholipase C, i.e., PLC zeta (PLCζ), is a strong candidate of the factor(s), and several research groups using different species obtained evidence that PLCζ is a sperm factor that can induce calcium oscillations during fertilization. However, postacrosomal sheath Tryptophan-Tryptophan (WW)-domain-binding protein (PAWP) was recently shown to have a pivotal role in inducing calcium oscillations in some species. In this review, we focus on PLCζ and PAWP as sperm factors, and we discuss this controversy: Which of these two molecules survives as a sperm factor? © 2020 The Authors. Animal Science Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Citation

Michiko Nakai, Junya Ito, Ayumi Suyama, Atsuko Kageyama, Yasuko Tobari, Naomi Kashiwazaki. Phospholipase Cζ (PLCζ) versus postacrosomal sheath WW domain-binding protein (PAWP): Which molecule will survive as a sperm factor? Animal science journal = Nihon chikusan Gakkaiho. 2020 Jan-Dec;91(1):e13345

Mesh Tags

Substances

PMID: 32219949

search → result