A protein that plays a key role during sperm-egg fusion has been identified and experts claim it may be the only solution for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Named Maia, the Greek goddess of motherhood, this could be further researched for the development of better contraceptives.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, is conducted by an international team led by Katina Komarskova from the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The study notes that gamete fusion is a key event of mammalian fertilization and further records that scientists observed the new Fc receptor-like protein 3 on the human egg that binds to a key sperm protein. The interaction of proteins and adhesions leads to the formation of human sperm-egg fusion and life.
“It is the result of nearly two decades of research and extensive international collaboration, with the publication covering 17 different affiliations from around the world, including the UK, US and Japan,” Komarskova said in a statement.
For the research, the team used a one-bead one-compound (OBOC) assay method, looking for mutations that cause tumors, during which interacting partners bind to special beads, and receptors on the egg cell surface. which are important factors in sperm interaction.
“We created hundreds of thousands of different beads, each with a block of protein on its surface. We combined these beads with human sperm and isolated those that interacted with each other. Several experiments After, we were able to identify a candidate fusion protein,” Komarskova explained.
They also faced challenges such as how to get ethical committee approval for the first research because the protein can only be found in humans.
“We also developed specialized cell cultures that mimicked eggs. These cells were then able to ‘produce’ proteins that are normally found on the surface of human eggs, making it possible for us to do a variety of experiments. Done,” said the lead researcher.
They were able to find microvilli on the surface of human eggs, which were covered by signals related to the proteins they had discovered.
Scientists predict that the research could lead to improvements in infertility treatment methods. “Fertilization is an important moment in human life, yet we still don’t know much about it. New findings like this that contribute to the understanding of physiological processes may find direct applications in human medicine,” says Komarskova. concluded.
catch all business News, market news, today’s fresh news events and breaking news Updates on Live Mint. download mint news app To get daily market updates.