STUDIES ON GLUTATHIONE S-TRANSFERASES IMPORTANT FOR SPERM FUNCTION - EVIDENCE OF CATALYTIC ACTIVITY-INDEPENDENT FUNCTIONS

Our earlier studies reported the identification of a rat testicular pr otein of 24 kDa with significant similarity at the N-terminus with Mu class glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Treatment of goat sperm with antisera against this protein identified immunoreactive sites on the s permatozoa and inhibited in vitro fertilization of goat oocytes by the antibody-treated sperm. The above observations indicated the presence of GST-like molecule(s) important for fertility related events on goa t spermatozoa. In this study, we report the purification of goat sperm GSTs (GSP1) which were purified by glutathione affinity chromatograph y and were enzymically active towards 1-chloro-2,4,-dinitrobenzene, a general GST substrate, and ethacrynic acid, a substrate for Pi class G STs. GSP1 resolved into three major components on reverse-phase HPLC: peaks 1 and 2 with molecular masses of 26.5 kDa and peak 3 with a mole cular mass of 25.5 kDa, as determined by SDS/PAGE. Multiple attempts t o obtain N-terminal sequences of the first two peaks failed, indicatin g N-terminal block; however, they reacted to specific anti-Mu-GST anti sera on Western blots and ELISA, and not to anti-Pi-GST antisera, whic h provides evidence for the presence of Mu-GST-reactive sites on peaks 1 and 2. The third component showed 80% N-terminal similarity with hu man and rat GSTP1-1 over an overlap of 15 amino acids, and reacted to anti-Pi-specific antisera in ELISA. Sperm labelled with antibodies aga inst a 10-mer and an Il-mer peptide, designed from the N-terminal sequ ences of Mu and Pi class GSTs respectively, showed the presence of bot h Mu-and PI-GST on goat sperm surface at distinct cellular domains. Se lective inhibition of Pi class GST by the Pi-specific antisera, either at 0 h or at 3 h after initiation of sperm capacitation, leads to a r eduction in fertilization rates. In contrast, the inhibition of Mu cla ss GST by specific antisera at 0 h does not inhibit fertilization, alt hough such treatment at 3 h after the initiation of capacitation reduc es fertilization rates. The results indicate that both Pi-and Mu-GSTs are involved in fertilization, but the Mu-GST sites essential for fert ilization are exposed only after 3 h of capacitation. The enzymic acti vity of GSP1 or live spermatozoa is not inhibited by the two antisera. The inability of the antibodies to cause such inhibition indicates th at the reduction in fertilization rates and acrosome reaction caused b y the antibodies is through a mechanism which does not interfere with the catalytic activity of the molecule. Therefore we established the p resence of Pi and Mu class GST on goat sperm, their localization and t heir possible function in fertility-related events.