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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 30, 953-958, Copyright © 1984 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Sensitive assay detects protein methylesterase in spermatozoa: decrease in enzyme activity during epididymal maturation

C Gagnon, D Harbour, E De Lamirande, CW Bardin and JL Dacheux

A more sensitive assay for protein methylesterase (PME) was developed. The new assay measures the methanol formed from hydrolysis of protein- methyl esters instead of methyl esters remaining on proteins. The formation of methanol is linear with time and enzyme concentration up to 20% of substrate hydrolysis. With this assay, we have detected very low PME activity in rat spermatozoa from cauda epididymidis. However, PME activity in spermatozoa from caput epididymidis was 10-fold higher. In a more detailed study on bull spermatozoa during epididymal maturation, we observed that PME activity was low in testicular spermatozoa, increased in spermatozoa from caput epididymidis to a maximum of 1.29 pmol/mg protein, and progressively decreased to a very low level (0.06 pmol/mg protein) in spermatozoa from cauda epididymidis. The drop in PME activity during epididymal transit parallels the progressive acquisition of motility and fertilizing capacity by spermatozoa.




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Copyright © 1984 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.