Bicarbonate-Dependent Serine/Threonine Protein Dephosphorylation in Capacitating Boar Spermatozoa

This study investigates the dynamics of serine/threonine (SIT) protein phosphorylation in sperm incubated under capacitating (C) conditions using the boar as a model system. For the first time, this approach has identified multiple dephosphorylation events that occur in a bicarbonate-dependent fashion. Different phospho-(S/T) kinase substrate antibodies were used, and dephosphorylation of 5 SIT phosphoproteins was observed in C sperm compared with noncapacitated (N) cells. Specifically, dephosphorylation of 96-, 90-, 64-, and 55-kd proteins was detected by immunoblotting using 2 phospho-Akt substrate antibodies and a phosphoprotein kinase A substrate antibody. In addition, dephosphorylation of a 105-kd protein was detected using a phospho-ATM/ATR substrate antibody. In contrast, no dephosphorylation was observed using a phosphoprotein kinase C substrate antibody, and increased tyrosine phosphorylation of 32- and 20-kd proteins was detected in C compared with N sperm. Immunolocalization experiments revealed subtle changes in the pattern expression as well as a reduction of phosphorylation in C sperm. Whereas sperm incubated in N medium containing dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) did not show protein dephosphorylation, incubation in C medium with dbcAMP/IBMX showed dephosphorylation as well as increased phosphorylation of other proteins (p68, p51, and p29). Finally, calyculin A, a phosphatase inhibitor, prevented dephosphorylation of p96, p90, p64, and p55 but not p105. Based on these data, we propose 2 pathways of protein dephosphorylation that are active during capacitation and independent of cAMP. Together, this provides direct evidence for more complex SIT phosphorylation dynamics than has been previously described for sperm undergoing capacitation.