MERCURIC IONS IMPAIR THE FERTILIZATION POTENTIAL, THE RESUMPTION OF MEIOSIS, THE FORMATION OF MALE PRONUCLEUS, AND INCREASE POLYSPERMY, IN THE EGG OF THE ASCIDIAN PHALLUSIA-MAMMILLATA

In the sea squirt Phallusia mammillata, fertilization occurs externall y in the seawater surrounding the adult. The impact of mercuric ions, one of the most toxic environmental pollutants, was investigated on th e functioning of the ionic channels of unfertilized or fertilized egg membrane and on the associated egg morphological events occurring at f ertilization. Hg2+ ions in the submicromolar range affected in a dose- dependent manner (range 0.0625 to 2 mu M) the functioning of voltage-d ependent Na+ and Ca2+ channels pre-existing in the unfertilized oocyte membrane. These channels are also sequentially involved in the first step of the egg electrical response to fertilization (i.e., the fertil ization potential) and were impaired by Hg2+. Mercuric ions also stron gly inhibited the further operating sperm-dependent channels of this f ertilization potential. The two highest concentrations used (1 and 2 m u M) greatly reduced the number of eggs that responded electrically an d, as a consequence, diminished the percentage of fertilized eggs that resumed meiosis. Also as a consequence of the impairment by Hg2+ ions of the egg electrical response to fertilization, the electrical block to polyspermy became less efficient and the proportion of polyspermic eggs increased. Finally, the percentage of eggs containing a male pro nucleus over the total number of sperm-penetrated eggs statistically d iminished in a dose-dependent manner under the effect of Hg2+ ions. (C ) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.