Synthesis and secretion of proteins by perifused caput epididymal tubules, and association of secreted proteins with spermatozoa
We have used perifusion organ culture of proximal and distal caput epididymal tubules of the rat to study the secretion of proteins by epididymal epithelium and uptake of the luminal radioactive proteins by sperm. The amount of incorporation of L-(35S)methionine into luminal fluid proteins was time dependent and completely inhibited by cycloheximide. The association of labeled proteins with cultured sperm was also dependent on time and continuous, with sperm still acquiring labeled luminal proteins after protein synthesis was arrested. A Mr = 46,000 molecule was found to be heavily labeled in luminal fluid and sperm extracts. Fluorograms of all L-(35S)methionine extracts immunoprecipitated using an antiepididymal alpha-lactalbumin antibody (Klinefelter and Hamilton, 1984) showed labeling of an Mr = 18,000 molecule and, in addition, the Mr = 46,000 molecule, but immunostaining was specific only for the Mr = 18,000 molecule and the heavy chain of the immunoglobulin. We suggest that the Mr = 46,000 molecule may be galactosyltransferase. Galactose oxidase-NaB(3H)4 labeling of the cultured caput sperm cell surface revealed a Mr = 23,000 molecule that was able to be immunoprecipitated with antiepididymal alpha-lactalbumin antibody. Our data suggest that this cell surface molecule is similar to one component of the fluid epididymal alpha-lactalbumin-like complex and, in addition, show that glycosylation of the sperm surface can occur in the caput epididymidis.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5731674
- Journal Information:
- Biol. Reprod.; (United States), Vol. 4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
PROTEINS
SECRETION
SULFUR 35
UPTAKE
EPITHELIUM
LABELLING
METHIONINE
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
RATS
SPERMATOZOA
TRANSFERASES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DRUGS
ENZYMES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GAMETES
GERM CELLS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
MAMMALS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
RODENTS
SULFUR ISOTOPES
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
551001* - Physiological Systems- Tracer Techniques