FEBS Lett 2015 Jul 22;58916:2146-54. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.06.024.

Single cell imaging reveals that the motility regulator speract induces a flagellar alkalinization that precedes and is independent of Ca²⁺ influx in sea urchin spermatozoa.

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Speract, a peptide from the egg jelly coat of certain sea urchin species, modulates sperm motility through a signaling pathway involving several ionic fluxes leading to pHi and [Ca²⁺]i increases. [Ca²⁺]i oscillations in the flagellum regulate its beating pattern modulating sperm swimming. Recent evidence showed the importance of pHi in controlling Ca²⁺ influx and chemotaxis. However, spatio-temporal characterization of the flagellar pHi increase triggered by speract, and its correlation to that of [Ca²⁺]i is lacking. Here, we show for the first time in single sea urchin spermatozoa that the speract-induced flagellar pHi increase precedes and is independent of [Ca²⁺]i increase. Our results support a leading role of pHi in modulating the Ca²⁺ signals that govern sperm swimming.

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Genes referenced: LOC100887844 LOC115919910 LOC576642