Fertilization of Ascidians: Gamete Interaction, Self/Nonself Recognition and Sperm Penetration of Egg Coat

Fertilization of Ascidians: Gamete Interaction, Self/Nonself Recognition and Sperm Penetration of Egg Coat

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Fertilization is one of the most important events in living organisms to generate a new life with a mixed genetic background.To achieve successful fertilization, sperm and eggs must undergo complex processes in a sequential order.Fertilization of marine invertebrate Ciona intestinalis type A (Ciona robusta) has been studied for more Sleepy Time Tonies than a hundred years.Ascidian sperm are attracted by chemoattractants from eggs and bind to the vitelline coat.Subsequently, sperm penetrate through the vitelline coat proteolytically and finally fuse with Heart Bracelet_Chloe the egg plasma membrane.

Here, we summarize the fertilization mechanisms of ascidians, particularly from sperm-egg interactions to sperm penetration of the egg coat.Since ascidians are hermaphrodites, inbreeding depression is a serious problem.To avoid self-fertilization, ascidians possess a self-incompatibility system.In this review, we also describe the molecular mechanisms of the self-incompatibility system in C.intestinalis type A governed by three allelic gene pairs of s-Themis and v-Themis.