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#sperm lysins

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Sperm lysins include:

Sperm lysins are hydrolytic enzymes stored in acrosome, a Golgi-derived cap-like vesicle covering anterior nucleus. Principal lysins are hyaluronidase which disperses corona radiata hyaluronan and serine protease acrosin which cleaves zona pellucida glycoproteins ZP1-ZP3 to facilitate drilling. Additional esterases and acid hydrolases assist matrix degradation. Upon zona binding triggered acrosomal exocytosis releases these enzymes in focused manner to locally digest extracellular coats. Catalase, oxidase, pepsin or lipases are not acrosomal components, so sperm relies specifically on hyaluronidase-acrosin duo for barrier penetration and eventual membrane fusion.

Ref: Gilbert, Developmental Biology, Chapter 7: Sperm lysins - hyaluronidase and acrosin roles in extracellular coat penetration.