The dynein electrophoretic bands in axonemes naturally lacking the inner or the outer arm.

• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.80.2.334
• Publication Date: 2004-05-14T23:04:59Z
• Authors: B Baccetti; A G Burrini; R Dallai; V Pallini
• Keywords: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Male; 0301 basic medicine; Diptera; Dyneins; Anguilla; Spermatozoa; 03 medical and health sciences; Species Specificity; Sperm Tail; Animals; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Peptides

Two unconventional sperm models (all motile) have been studied. The first one has only the outer arm on the doublets (the gall midge, Diplolaboncus); the second one, has only a well-developed inner arm (the eel, Anguilla). Both are devoid of central tubules and radial spokes. The gall midge sperm yields a single electrophoretic band migrating similarly to the sea urchin dynein band A; a major high-molecular-weight band is obtained from eel sperm which co-migrates with the sea urchin dynein band B. The present picture is consistent with the localization of dynein in the axoneme--namely, of an A-like band in the outer arm, and of the B band in the inner arm. Moreover, the D band is present only in the eel, where gamma-links are present. ATPase activity was localized histochemically and found to be associated with both inner and outer arms, as well as with the gamma-links.