Collaborative Research: Chemical Communication and the Language of Gametes

尽管经过了一个世纪的深入研究，受精仍然是最不为人所知的基本生物过程之一。目前的理论预测，膜结合蛋白促进配子识别，但吸引同种精子的可溶性卵子化合物也可以作为维持物种完整性的合子前因子，同时提高受精率。尽管雄性和雌性配子之间的细胞接触识别对有性生殖至关重要，但可溶性卵子因子的作用仍未确定。该项目使用鲍鱼（Haliotis属），将形成性概念框架与前所未有的技术和基础设施相结合，以建立精子和卵子的化学“语言”。这有望提供第一个具体的证据，证明杂交障碍可以在配子接触之前起作用，并且远程化学信号可以促进物种形成。该研究对人类生殖生物学和野生动物保护具有重要意义。未来的研究可以利用鲍鱼作为一种有价值的动物模型，推进解决人类避孕和不孕问题的创新方法：研究人员与德国同事合作，已经确定并克隆了人类精子膜上化学感受器的编码基因。最近的发现将受体功能与精子对卵子的吸引力联系起来。保护生物学面临的重大挑战也将受益于控制受精的感官刺激的新知识。对于许多受威胁或濒临灭绝的物种，从鲍鱼和珊瑚到类人猿和大象，施肥是物种繁殖的瓶颈。精子化学吸引的基础研究可能会为生殖生物学中的老问题提供原始的解决方案。例如，在圈养繁殖项目中，可溶精子引诱剂可以用来识别最有希望的精子捐献者。假设配偶之间的配子兼容，一个具有快速和化学反应的精子的供体可能会增加受精的可能性，同时潜在地提高后代的质量。研究人员有很强的传统，积极的社区服务和本科和研究生教育。特别是，这个项目将鼓励培训妇女和代表性不足的学生从事跨学科研究，以便从事生理学、遗传学和环境科学方面的职业。

Despite a century of intensive research, fertilization is one of the least understood fundamental biological processes. Current theory predicts that membrane-bound proteins promote gamete recognition, but soluble-egg compounds attracting conspecific sperm could also act as pre-zygotic factors maintaining species integrity while increasing fertilization rates. Whereas cell contact recognition between male and female gametes is critical for sexual reproduction, the role of soluble egg factors remains undetermined. Using abalone (genus Haliotis), this project combines a formative conceptual framework with unprecedented techniques and infrastructure to establish the chemical 'language' of sperm and egg. It is expected to provide the first concrete evidence that barriers to hybridization can function prior to gamete contact, and that remote chemical signals can promote speciation. This study has implications for reproductive biology in humans as well as wildlife conservation. Future research could advance innovative approaches for solving problems in human contraception and infertility, using abalone as a valuable animal model: working with German colleagues, the investigators have identified and cloned genes coding for chemoreceptors on human sperm membranes. Recent discoveries link receptor function with sperm attraction to egg. Compelling challenges in conservation biology also will benefit from new knowledge of sensory stimuli controlling fertilization. For many threatened or endangered species, from abalone and corals to apes and elephants, fertilization is the bottleneck to species proliferation. Basic research on sperm chemoattraction is likely to yield original solutions to age old problems in reproductive biology. In captive breeding programs, for example, soluble sperm attractants could be used to identify the most promising sperm donors. Assuming gamete compatibility between mates, a donor with fast and chemo-responsive sperm may enhance the probability of fertilization while potentially improving offspring quality. The investigators have a strong tradition of active community outreach and undergraduate and graduate education. In particular, this project will invigorate training of women and underrepresented students in interdisciplinary research, towards careers in physiology, genetics, and environmental sciences.