Characterization of acrosin-like activity of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) spermatozoa.

Acipenserid fish sperm possess trypsin-like activity, resembling acrosin activity of mammalian sperm, which can be measured by hydrolysis of N-alpha-benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) (Ciereszko et al., 1994: J Exp Zool 268:486-491). We found that this activity can be preserved when sperm is frozen on dry ice with 0.6 M sucrose-10% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) extender (sperm:extender ratio 1:3), and subsequently stored in liquid nitrogen. However, other methods of freezing (without cryoprotectant at -18 degrees C, -80 degrees C, and -196 degrees C) did not protect this activity. Acrosin-like activity decreased in the course of storage of milt on ice; 88% decline was recorded after 13 days. Acrosin-like activity increased with temperature from 10 degrees C to 30 degrees C, but was inactivated at 40 degrees C to about 40% as compared to the optimum temperature. Triton X-100 inhibited activity by 15% and 72% at 0.01% and 0.1% concentrations, respectively. Activity was not affected by Mg2+ but was inhibited by Zn2+ (30% and 75% in the presence of 0.1 mM and 1 mM, respectively). Maximum velocity of substrate hydrolysis was observed at 2 mM of BAPNA. Acrosin-like activity was effectively inhibited by 4'-acetamidophenyl 4-guanidinobenzoate (AGB), an inhibitor of mammalian acrosin. Sperm acrosin-like activity correlated negatively with antiproteinase activity of seminal plasma. We conclude that sturgeon acrosin-like activity shares many properties with mammalian acrosin. On the other hand, it has some unique properties which may represent adaptations of this enzyme to the environment of external fertilization.