Dev Biol 1983 Aug 01;982:319-26.

Studies of the voltage-dependent polyspermy block using cross-species fertilization of amphibians.

Abstract
Fertilization of frog eggs by frog sperm is inhibited if the egg's membrane potential is positive (N.L. Cross and R.P. Elinson, 1980, Dev. Biol. 75, 187-198); however, fertilization of salamander eggs by salamander sperm does not depend on membrane potential (M. Charbonneau, M. Moreau, B. Picheral, J.P. Vilain, and P. Guerrier, 1983, Dev. Biol. 98, 304-318). Since salamander sperm can fertilize frog eggs, we have investigated whether this cross-fertilization is voltage dependent. If, during insemination with Notophthalmus sperm, Xenopus eggs were voltage clamped between +7 and +20 mV, fertilization proceeded in 7/10 (70%) of the clamped eggs, compared to 38/48 (79%) of the neighboring eggs. In control experiments in which voltage-clamped Xenopus eggs were inseminated with Xenopus sperm, fertilization proceeded in only 1/10 (10%) of the clamped eggs, compared to 59/60 (98%) of the neighbors. Similar results were obtained with cross-fertilization experiments between Notophthalmus sperm and Rana eggs. These experiments indicate that the voltage dependence of fertilization depends on the species of sperm.

PubMed ID: 6683683
Article link: Dev Biol
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