Biomaterial Database

The evolution of sea urchin sperm bindin. 2008

Kirk S Zigler

Department of Biology, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, USA. kzigler@sewanee.edu

Sea urchins have been model organisms for the study of fertilization for more than a century. Fertilization in sea urchins happens externally, which facilitates the study of sperm-egg attachment and fusion, and means that all of the molecules involved in gamete recognition and fusion are associated with the gametes. Sea urchin sperm bindin was the first "gamete recognition protein" to be isolated and characterized (Vacquier and Moy 1977), and bindin has since been studied by developmental biologists interested in fertilization, by biochemists interested in membrane fusion and by evolutionary biologists interested in reproductive isolation and speciation. Research on bindin was last reviewed thirteen years ago by Vacquier et al. (1995) in an article titled "What have we learned about sea urchin sperm bindin?" in which the authors reviewed the identification, isolation and early molecular examinations of bindin. Research since then has focused on bindin's potential role in fusing egg and sperm membranes, comparisons of bindin between distantly related species, studies within genera linking bindin evolution to reproductive isolation, and studies within species looking at fertilization effects of individual bindin alleles. In addition, the egg receptor for bindin has been cloned and sequenced. I review this recent research here.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D011485	Protein Binding	The process in which substances, either endogenous or exogenous, bind to proteins, peptides, enzymes, protein precursors, or allied compounds. Specific protein-binding measures are often used as assays in diagnostic assessments.	Plasma Protein Binding Capacity,Binding, Protein
D011956	Receptors, Cell Surface	Cell surface proteins that bind signalling molecules external to the cell with high affinity and convert this extracellular event into one or more intracellular signals that alter the behavior of the target cell (From Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2nd ed, pp693-5). Cell surface receptors, unlike enzymes, do not chemically alter their ligands.	Cell Surface Receptor,Cell Surface Receptors,Hormone Receptors, Cell Surface,Receptors, Endogenous Substances,Cell Surface Hormone Receptors,Endogenous Substances Receptors,Receptor, Cell Surface,Surface Receptor, Cell
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D005260	Female		Females
D005306	Fertilization	The fusion of a spermatozoon (SPERMATOZOA) with an OVUM thus resulting in the formation of a ZYGOTE.	Conception,Fertilization, Delayed,Fertilization, Polyspermic,Conceptions,Delayed Fertilization,Delayed Fertilizations,Fertilizations,Fertilizations, Delayed,Fertilizations, Polyspermic,Polyspermic Fertilization,Polyspermic Fertilizations
D006023	Glycoproteins	Conjugated protein-carbohydrate compounds including MUCINS; mucoid, and AMYLOID glycoproteins.	C-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycosylated Protein,Glycosylated Proteins,N-Glycosylated Proteins,O-Glycosylated Proteins,Glycoprotein,Neoglycoproteins,Protein, Glycosylated,Proteins, C-Glycosylated,Proteins, Glycosylated,Proteins, N-Glycosylated,Proteins, O-Glycosylated
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein