Abstract
Abstract
Sperm competence in animal fertilization requires the collective activities of numerous
sperm-specific proteins that are typically alloimmunogenic in females. Consequently, sperm
membrane alloantigens are potential targets for contraceptives that act by blocking the proteins’ functions in gamete interactions. Here we used a targeted proteomics approach to
identify the major alloantigens in swine sperm membranes and lipid rafts, and thereby systematically defined the repertoire of these sperm-specific proteins in a single species. Gilts
with high alloantibody reactivity to proteins in sperm membranes or lipid rafts produced
fewer offspring (73% decrease) than adjuvant-only or nonimmune control animals. Alloantisera recognized more than 20 potentially unique sperm membrane proteins and five sperm
lipid raft proteins resolved on two-dimensional immunoblots with or without prior enrichment
by anion exchange chromatography. Dominant sperm membrane alloantigens identified by
mass s
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 26 |
Journal | PLoS ONE |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 17 2018 |