LOCALIZATION OF ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE ACTIVITY IN THE RAT SPERM TAIL AS REVEALED BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Immunological comparison of 22S, 19S, and 12S dyneins from Paramecium cilia

Three forms of dynein (22S, 19S, and 12S) were purified from Paramecium cilia. Two classes of monoclonal antibodies against purified 22S dynein were generated. One class reacted on immunoblots with the heavy chains of 22S, 19S, and 12S dyneins; the second class reacted with an 88 kD intermediate chain of 22S dynein. Polyclonal antiserum to the heavy chains of 22S dynein reacted with the alpha-heavy chain of 22S and 19S dyneins. A previously described antiserum raised against 22S dynein [Travis et al.: Biochim. Biophys. Acta 966:73-83, 1988] recognized the gamma-heavy chain of 22S dynein which was also present in 19S and 12S dyneins, along with the 88 and 76 kD intermediate chains of 22S dynein. This antiserum was also able to immunoprecipitate dynein from crude extracts of cilia. Electron microscopy revealed that the 22S dynein consisted mainly of two-headed particles with some three-headed particles present. The 12S dynein was mainly one-headed particles. The 19S dynein was a mixture of three-, two-, and one-headed particles. The immunological and electron microscopic studies showed that 19S dynein arises from 22S dynein, and that 12S dynein is heterogeneous, composed of the gamma-heavy chain of 22S dynein and a unique dynein ATPase. The polyclonal antibodies were also used to detect cross-reactive proteins in other organisms. Both the anti-heavy chain and the anti-22S dynein sera reacted strongly with 22S outer arm dynein of Tetrahymena, but not with the 14S dynein of this organism.

Distribution of intramembranous particles and filipin-sterol complexes in mouse sperm membranes: polyene antibiotic filipin treatment

The distribution of intramembranous particles (IMPs) and membrane filipin-sterol complexes (FSC) was examined ultrastructurally in mouse spermatozoa from the male reproductive tract and ejaculates. IMPs were qualitatively analyzed on freeze-fracture replicas of glutaraldehyde-fixed tissue, while membrane FSC were quantitatively analyzed on replicas of filipin-treated cells. The distribution pattern of IMPs of mouse spermatozoa was fundamentally similar to that of other mammalian spermatozoa. 1) In the head, the plasma membrane had a heterogeneous population density, e.g., few IMPs on the acrosomal region, particularly few on the marginal segment, and somewhat regularly arranged IMPs on the postacrosomal region. The acrosomal membrane had many IMPs in hexagonal arrays. The nuclear membrane had many IMPs on the P-face, few IMPs on the variegated E-face, and an intense population density on the P-face of the basal plate. 2) In the neck, the plasma membrane had many IMPs with square arrangements of small IMPs in some areas on the P-face; the redundant nuclear membrane had a few IMPs on both P- and E-faces. 3) In the tail, the plasma membrane had diagonal rows of IMPs in some areas amongst larger IMPs on the middle piece, while it had "zippers" composed of IMPs running parallel to the axis on the principal piece. The distribution of sperm membrane FSC may be summarized as follows: 1) In the head, the acrosomal plasma membrane, which was heavily labeled with filipin, had much more FSC in the equatorial segment than in the marginal segment throughout the study. The postacrosomal plasma membrane generally had no FSC, but some sperm in ejaculates were slightly positive to filipin. The acrosomal membranes (both outer and inner) had no FSC. The nuclear membrane in the main part of the head had less FSC in vas deferens and ejaculated sperm than in the epididymal sperm. The nuclear membrane on the basal plate had no FSC. 2) In the neck, the plasma membrane had little FSC. The redundant nuclear envelope had scattered FSC with a higher incidence in the epididymal sperm than in those from the vas deferens and ejaculates. The membrane scroll, which was elongated from the extreme caudal end of the redundant nuclear envelope, had abundant FSC in the vas deferens and ejaculated sperm. 3) The tail plasma membrane (both middle and principal piece), which was weakly labeled with filipin, had less FSC in sperm from the vas deferens and ejaculates than in those from the epididymis. The limiting membrane covering the mitochondria had no FSC.

Purification and polypeptide composition of dynein ATPases from Chlamydomonas flagella

Extraction of isolated, demembranated flagellar axonemes of Chlamydomonas reinhardii with 0.6 M KCl solubilized 77-92% of the total axonemal Mg++ or Ca++-ATPase activity, which sedimented as 18S and 12S peaks in sucrose density gradients. The ATPases of these two peaks were further purified by hydroxyapatite (HAP) column chromatography. The ATPase activity of the 18S peak eluted from the HAP column as a single peak coinciding with the protein peak. The HAP purified 18S ATPase had a specific activity of approximately 2.0 +/- 0.5 mumoles Pi hydrolyzed min/mg and was associated with four high molecular weight (HMW) polypeptides of approximately 310,000-340,000 daltons, two intermediate molecular weight (IMW) polypeptides of 78,000 and 69,000 daltons, and eight low molecular weight (LMW) polypeptides of 7,800-19,600 daltons. When the 12S sucrose gradient peak together with a trailing shoulder were chromatographed on HAP, the ATPase activity was eluted in two peaks designated 12S and 10.5S on the basis of the sedimentation properties of their associated polypeptides. The 12S peak contained a single dynein ATPase having a specific activity of approximately 0.6 +/- 0.3 mumoles Pi hydrolyzed min/mg and associated with approximately 330,000-, 21,700-, and 18,100-dalton polypeptides. The 10.5S peak contained several high, intermediate, and low molecular weight polypeptides; of these, one HMW polypeptide and one 28,700-dalton polypeptide correlated well with the ATPase activity. The purified ATPases had no polypeptides in common; each therefore represents a discrete dynein. Based on protein recovered in the purified fractions, 18S dynein represents approximately 9.2% of the total axonemal protein; 12S dynein represents approximately 4.7% of the axonemal protein.

Fine structural localization of phosphatases in cilia and basal bodies of Tetrahymena pyriformis

Cytochemical localization of ATPase activities in cilia and basal bodies of Tetrahymena pyriformis revealed a number of possible sites of ATPases. In basal bodies, reaction product was localized on the periphery of basal body microtubules, in the core of the B-microtubules, on the dense basal body core, and on the basal plate; some reaction product was associated with the postciliary and basal microtubules. In the cilium, reaction product was associated with the ciliary membrane, the basal granule, the periphery of the outer doublet microtubules, in the core of the B-microtubules, and on the arms and either the central microtubules or the radial spoke heads. Reaction product deposition required ATP and either Ca2+ or Mg2+ or ADP and Mg2+. When incubated in the presence of ATP and Na+, reaction product was only found at the base of the cilium in the region of the ciliary necklace. Implications of the various sites of activity are discussed with respect to possible mechanisms of ciliary motility.

ATPase activity in flagella from Euglena gracilis. Localization of the enzyme and effects of detergents

The biochemical effects of some detergents on the ATPase activity of isolated flagella from Euglena gracilis are related to morphologic obliterations induced by those detergents. Enzymic activity can be localized by electron microscopy along the microtubules and also on the paraflagellar rod. The nonionic detergent digitonin solubilizes the enzyme linked to dyneinic arms, whereas the activity linked to residual structures appears enhanced. These results support the hypothesis that the paraflagellar rod may be a structure activity related to the motility of this type of flagellum.