Subcellular localization of catalase in sea urchin (<i>Tetrapigus niger</i>) gametes
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1997
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Peroxisomes are essential subcellular organelles that appear to be derived from pre existing organelles. To test the presence of peroxisomes in sea urchin (Tetrapigus niger) sperm and eggs, we performed biochemical and morphological experiments to evaluate the subcellular distribution of catalase as the typical peroxisomal marker. In sea urchin sperm, we found that catalase is localized in the cell cytosol. In contrast, sea urchin eggs contain sedimentable catalase, presumably contained in peroxisome-like structures detected by immunomicroscopy and by cytochemistry. Our results show, for the first time, evidence for the presence of peroxisome-like structures in sea urchin eggs and provide evidence for the peroxisome biogenesis hypothesis by division of preexisting organelles. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.
Description
Keywords
peroxisome, catalase, oocytes, sperm, sea urchin, biogenesis, subcellular fractionation, immunodetection, confocal microscopy, reflectance microscopy