Gamete interactions in teleost fish: the egg envelope. Basic studies and perspectives as environmental biomonitor

The current knowledge about teleost fish egg envelope is summarized. The paper analyzes the organization and deposition process of the protein composition and genes involved in the synthesis of teleost fish egg envelopes and their role in gamete interaction during fertilization. Pelagic and demersal species that our research group is working with are especially considered. The vertebrate ZP family of proteins, the evolution and relationship among the different genes and their expression are taken into account. We consider fish envelope as a possible biomonitor for ecological contaminants. The biotechnological applications for aquaculture and genomic and post-genomic approaches are auspicious.

Sperm-mediated gene transfer into oocytes of the golden hamster: assessment of sperm function.

The possibility of sperm as a vehicle to deliver foreign DNA to oocytes was tested in hamsters. Epididymal spermatozoa, incubated with linearized plasmid DNA encoding ovine growth hormone (pCMXoGH), showed a spontaneous tendency to interact with DNA. Kinetics of sperm uptake of DNA was determined by using [32P]-labeled DNA. Spermatozoa took up the added DNA by 15-30 min and the uptake was inhibited by human seminal fluid in a dose dependent manner. Addition of DNA did not affect the functional competence of spermatozoa, in terms of their ability to undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction (34.5% +/- 2.2 vs 35% +/- 1.5). The fertilizing ability of DNA treated-spermatozoa from hamsters and humans was assessed by zona-free hamster egg penetration assay. Number of sperm penetrated per oocyte were 23 +/- 4.5 and 1.4 +/- 1.3 for hamster and human spermatozoa, respectively. Penetrated oocytes harbored sperm-treated DNA both with hamster (30.2 cpm/oocyte) and human (19.2 cpm/oocyte) spermatozoa. These results show that the hamster and human spermatozoa have a strong tendency to interact with exogenous (foreign) DNA and are able to transfer DNA to oocytes. Sperm may be used as a vector for DNA transfer and this approach has potential in the production of transgenic animals.