ACROSOMIC REACTION AND PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY IN THE SPERMATOZOA OF AN ANURAN AMPHIBIAN, LEPTODACTYLUS CHAQUENSIS (CEI)

Abstract

Acrosomal reaction and acrosomal protease release in Leptodactylus chaquensis are correlated. When spermatozoa are included in gelatin films, the characteristic digestion halos around the sperm head can be observed only after the acrosomic reaction is accomplished. The addition of 10 mM EDTA to the gelatin films arrests the acrosomic reaction and no digestion halo is formed. Crude enzymatic preparations containing acrosomal proteases are equally active on gelatin and BAPNA substrates, irrespective of the presence of EDTA. Trypsin inhibitors (ovomucoid, lima bean and soybean) produce both diminution of the digestion halo and lowering of the activity of crude enzymatic preparations on gelatin or BAPNA substrates.