A low molecular weight factor from sea urchin eggs elevates sperm cyclic nucleotide concentrations and respiration rates

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Abstract
A factor associated with sea urchin [Lytechinus pictus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus] eggs that increases sperm cyclic nucleotide concentrations and respiration rates was identified as having a low MW. The factor was more potent at elevating cyclic[c]GMP concentrations than cAMP concentrations, and represents the first demonstration of a factor associated with eggs that is capable of causing elevations of sperm cGMP. Concentration-response curves of the crude mixture of egg factors to increase sperm cAMP and cGMP concentrations and respiratory rates were very similar, and comparable losses of these 3 activities were observed after extensive dialysis and heat treatment of the crude egg factors. The factor was partly purified by ethanol precipitation of a large MW egg jelly component, and by charcoal absorption and LH-20 chromatography of the resultant ethanol-soluble material. The factor was not extracted into a variety of organic solvents and had an apparent MW of 1000-2000, as estimated by gel filtration.