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#species specificity

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Regeneration -ll

Species specificity during fertilization in sea urchins primarily depends on:

Fertilization requires species-specific molecular lock-and-key recognition to prevent cross-species hybrids in mixed spawning assemblages. In sea urchins this specificity resides in interaction between sperm protein bindin on acrosomal process and its complementary glycoprotein receptor EBR1 embedded in vitelline envelope. Carbohydrate moieties and protein loops vary rapidly between species, creating selective adhesion. Mixing experiments show bindin from Strongylocentrotus binds strongly only to conspecific EBR1; antibodies to EBR1 block fertilization species-specifically. Flagellar proteins,

Ref: Gilbert, Developmental Biology, 12th ed., Chapter 7: Species specificity - bindin and EBR1 receptor co-evolution.

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Sea urchin -l

Species specificity during fertilization in sea urchins primarily depends on:

While initial sperm attraction by egg jelly provides coarse guidance, lasting species-specific recognition at binding step depends critically on precise molecular complementarity between sperm protein bindin and its large glycoprotein receptor EBR1 on vitelline envelope. Bindin sequence shows hypervariable regions among sea urchin species, and receptor binding pocket compatibility determines adhesion strength and specificity. Heterologous bindin experimentally fails to agglutinate eggs despite vigorous motility and intact flagellar proteins. Flagellar components, actin filaments or ATPase enzy

Ref: Glabe & Vacquier, Nature 1977, Species-specific bindin receptor; Gilbert Chapter 7: Gamete binding specificity.

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