Regulatory Mechanisms of Cellular Respiration

Abstract

Since the discovery of glutathione by Hopkins (1) a large number of investigators have reported on the importance of sulfhydryl groups in cellular metabolism and in cell division and growth. Of these sulfhydryl groups, the r61e of the --SH groups in certain enzymes, demonstrated for the first time by Hellerman, Perkins, and Clark (2), was extensively investigated by who found that their presence was essential for the activity of a large number of enzymes concerned with the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. The r61e of sulfhydryl groups in cellular division andcellgrowth, postulated for the first time by Hammett (6), and confirmed by Voegtlin and Chalkley (7), and a number of other investigators (8-11), was demonstrated by quantitative measurements of the sulfhydryl groups by Rapkine (12) and by Chatton Lwoff, and Rapkine (13). More recently Bailey and Perry (14) have reported that the interaction of actin and myosin depends upon the presence of --SH groups in the myosin partner. Whether the --SH groups which are reported to be essential for cellular growth and division are of a protein nature or are peptides like glutathione or free amino acids like cysteine had not yet been determined, although Rapkine has suggested that cell division is preceded by "une denaturation des proteiques, celle-ci liberant des radicaux sulfhydryles qui en s'oxidant reduiront les groupements --S --S --en groupements --SH." Oxidation of the --SH groups of enzymes by ionizing radiations (15), and mutations (similar to those found in irradiation) produced b y --S H alklylating agents such as sulfur and nitrogen mustards (16,17) has demonstrated the importance of sulfhydryl groups in biology. We present in this paper experiments on the effect of sulfhydryl reagents on the respiration of sea urchin sperm, which are, in our opinion, proof of the existence in these cells of soluble sulfhydryl groups acting as regulators of cellular metabolism.

The biochemistry of semen

“…Even these studies, however, have clearly indicated the existence of remarkable species differences in sperm behaviour. Thus for instance, iodoacetate which is one of the strongest inhibitors of sperm activity in higher animals, has a pronounced stimulating action on the oxygen uptake of sea-urchin spermatozoa; this peculiar effect of iodoacetate is shared by other sulphydryl-binding compounds, as well as by malonate and nitrogen mustard (Barron and Goldinger, \9A\b', Barron, Nelson and Ardao, 1948;Barron, Seegmiller, Mendes and Narahara, 1948). It is interesting and important to note that widely divergent results may be attained with a given substance according to a particular set of experimental conditions: rabbit spermatozoa, washed and resuspended in a sugar-free isotonic medium, are immobilized completely by 00001m 2 : 3 : 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, but a 200 times higher concentration of this substance is ineffective towards sperm suspended in a glucose-containing medium (Bishop and Mathews, 1952).…”

Calcium Ions and Control of the Motility of Sea Urchin Spermatozoa

“…A considerable amount is known about the effects of heavy metal ions on the respiration, glycolysis and motility of the spermatozoa of invertebrates (Barron, Nelson & Ardao, 1948;Rothschild & Tuft, 1950;Rothschild & Tyler, 1954;Young & Nelson, 1974), but there are relatively few data available on the effect of calcium ions on the activity of these spermatozoa. While Tyler (1953) reported that changes in the concentration of external calcium had no effect on the metabolism of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus spermatozoa, he did not investigate the effect of calcium ions on their motility.…”