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First published online July 12, 2005

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Sperm and oocyte: a novel relationship buds

Intercellular communication between sperm and oocyte is essential for successful sexual reproduction. In nematodes, for example, the major sperm protein (MSP) acts as a hormone that promotes oocyte meiotic maturation. But how do sperm, which lack the usual protein secretion machinery, release this cytoskeletal protein? Kosinski and co-workers now reveal that in C. elegans, MSP is exported from sperm through a novel vesicle-budding mechanism (see p. 3357). Their results suggest that the localized assembly of MSP filaments in spermatozoa and spermatids drives the formation of plasma membrane protrusions on the cell body, which form vesicles with inner and outer membranes between which MSP is sandwiched. These vesicles then function as MSP time-release capsules. Because proteins with MSP domains are found in fungi, plants and animals, this unconventional protein export pathway might also function in other developmental situations.

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Related articles in Development:

C. elegans sperm bud vesicles to deliver a meiotic maturation signal to distant oocytes

Mary Kosinski, Kent McDonald, Joel Schwartz, Ikuko Yamamoto, and David Greenstein
Development 2005 132: 3357-3369. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?