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Evolution And Expression Of The Lysozyme And Beta1,4-Galactosyltransferase Families In Mammals : Possible Roles In Fertilization, Jason Michael Biegel
Evolution And Expression Of The Lysozyme And Beta1,4-Galactosyltransferase Families In Mammals : Possible Roles In Fertilization, Jason Michael Biegel
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Understanding the specificity of sperm-egg recognition during mammalian fertilization has been a topic of intense study for many years, and yet the biochemical basis for this process is still largely unknown. Mammalian eggs are covered by thick glycoprotein coats, called zona pellucida (ZP), which contain glycans of varying structures that must be specifically recognized, and presumably cleaved, for fertilization to occur. Various experiments have implicated B1,4-galactosyltransferase 1 (B4GalT1) in the ability of mouse sperm to bind the ZP. Here I present evidence that additional members of the B4GalT family (specifically B4GalT3 and B4GalT4) are present on mouse and rat sperm, …