The long term goals of this research project are to define both chemically and biologically a set of sperm molecules which are necessary for one or more steps in the fertilization process. During the current grant period emphasis has been placed on defining the biological function of the rabbit sperm membrane autoantigen, RSA, as a zona pellucida binding protein and on obtaining CDNA clones which would allow further characterization of sperm autoantigenic sites and zona binding proteins. To continue this line of investigation, this revised renewal application will focus on four sperm molecules selected for study at the molecular level with regard to their role in fertilization and zona binding. Using the cyclic model as a working hypothesis, which was developed during the current grant period and which is explained in detail in Section C.4.(b).1-4, this proposal will specifically investigate the mechanism by which spermatoza attach to and penetrate (degrade) the zona pellucida. An understanding of the mechanism of sperm-zona interaction would allow precise targets for both infertility diagnosis and contraception. Therefore, this proposal's specific aims are: I. The mechanism of action of three sperm molecules on binding to and interacting with (degrading or releasing) the zona pellucida. I.1) The molecular characterization of the rabbit sperm membrane autoantigen, RSA, with regard to the amino acid sequences which specifically bind zona pellucida. I.2) The molecular characterization of the role of the sperm enzyme acrosin in zona binding. 3) The molecular characterization of the role of the sperm enzyme arylsulfatase A in zona binding. II. The isolation and biological characterization of a newly discovered sperm nuclear autoantigenic protein (NASP), with regard to: (A) biological function and (B) the amino acid sequences of autoantibody binding sites. Molecular sites methodology will be used to characterize specific sequences.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD014232-13
Application #
3312533
Study Section
Reproductive Biology Study Section (REB)
Project Start
1992-02-01
Project End
1997-01-31
Budget Start
1993-02-01
Budget End
1994-01-31
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
078861598
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Wen, Y; Richardson, R T; O'rand, M G (1999) Processing of the sperm protein Sp17 during the acrosome reaction and characterization as a calmodulin binding protein. Dev Biol 206:113-22
Batova, I; O'Rand, M G (1996) Histone-binding domains in a human nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein. Biol Reprod 54:1238-44
Richardson, R T; O'Rand, M G (1996) Site-directed mutagenesis of rabbit proacrosin. Identification of residues involved in zona pellucida binding. J Biol Chem 271:24069-74
Kong, M; Richardson, R T; Widgren, E E et al. (1995) Sequence and localization of the mouse sperm autoantigenic protein, Sp17. Biol Reprod 53:579-90
Richardson, R T; O'Rand, M G (1994) Cloning and sequencing of cDNAs for rabbit preproacrosin and a novel preproacrosin-related cDNA. Biochim Biophys Acta 1219:215-8
Richardson, R T; Yamasaki, N; O'Rand, M G (1994) Sequence of a rabbit sperm zona pellucida binding protein and localization during the acrosome reaction. Dev Biol 165:688-701
O'Rand, M G; Widgren, E E (1994) Identification of sperm antigen targets for immunocontraception: B-cell epitope analysis of Sp17. Reprod Fertil Dev 6:289-96
O'Rand, M G; Beavers, J; Widgren, E E et al. (1993) Inhibition of fertility in female mice by immunization with a B-cell epitope, the synthetic sperm peptide, P10G. J Reprod Immunol 25:89-102
O'Rand, M G; Richardson, R T; Zimmerman, L J et al. (1992) Sequence and localization of human NASP: conservation of a Xenopus histone-binding protein. Dev Biol 154:37-44
Nikolajczyk, B S; O'Rand, M G (1992) Characterization of rabbit testis beta-galactosidase and arylsulfatase A: purification and localization in spermatozoa during the acrosome reaction. Biol Reprod 46:366-78

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