The Proteins of Mammalian Spermatozoa and Cellular Nuclei

Abstract

Expts. on boar and ram spermatozoa indicate that neither contains material soluble in dist. water or 1 or 2 [image] NaCl soln. An extract with 1 N_NaOH contains most of the nucleic acid of the cells. Paper chromatography and microbiological assay yielded information regarding the amino acid content of the fractions. Futher standing of the residual material over night with 1 N NaOH brings into soln. material which contains protein but which is predominantly nucleic acid. It appears thus that nuclei in general contain nucleohistones or nucleoprotamines extractable with H2O or NaCl solns.; proteins extractable with alkali and pre-cipitating when the soln. is made acid; and a highly insoluble residual material containing proteins and nucleic acid.