BEHAVIOR OF TRANSGENIC MOUSE SPERMATOZOA WITH GALLINE PROTAMINE

General morphology, physical and chemical stability of nuclei, and pos tfertilization behavior of spermatozoa from transgenic mice [TgN (PrmI Gal) 223 Bri] containing nuclear avian protamine (galline) were compa red to those in the spermatozoa of wild-type (Wild) mice. Galline to p rotamine I ratios in spermatozoal nuclei of transgenic mice, strains 3 175 (T75) and 3177 (T77), were 1.94 and 5.62, respectively, Live T75 a nd T77 spermatozoa were indistinguishable in their gross morphology fr om Wild spermatozoa. However, unlike Wild and T75 spermatozoa, T77 spe rmatozoa were vulnerable to mechanical handling, as about 40% of heads and tails were separated after gentle pipetting in suspension. Motili ty of T77 spermatozoa was markedly inferior to that of T75 and Wild. C hromatin heterogeneity and instability of transgenic spermatozoal nucl ei were evident by transmission electron microscopy, staining reaction to Giemsa, and, as apparent by both light microscopy and now cytometr y, reaction to SDS detergent. Wild and T75 spermatozoa fertilized 90% and 60% of zona-intact oocytes in vitro, respectively, T77 spermatozoa completely failed to fertilize and bound to zona surfaces very weakly , and none of them inserted their heads into the zona, Although ineffi ciently, T77 spermatozoa could fertilize zona-free oocytes in vitro, i ndicating some ability to undergo capacitation and spontaneous acrosom e reaction in vitro, After microsurgical injection into oocytes, the r ate of nuclear decondensation was the greatest in rooster spermatozoa, followed by T77, T75, and Wild spermatozoa.