A brown algal sex pheromone reverses the sign of phototaxis by cAMP/Ca2+-dependent signaling in the male gametes of Mutimo cylindricus (Cutleriaceae)

In this study, we revealed that the conversion of male gamete phototactic sign, positive to negative, was accelerated by mixing with female gametes. The supernatant after the centrifugation of female gamete suspension showed the same activity to change the phototactic sign, suggesting that a factor released from female gametes was responsible for the reaction. A known brown algal sex pheromone, ectocarpene, induced chemotaxis of male gametes of M. cylindricus. The addition of this compound induced the change of phototactic sign, clearly indicating that a sex pheromone is essential for the reversal. An inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, theophylline, inhibited the chemotaxis and phototactic sign reversion by a factor released from female gametes and ectocarpene. Measurements of cyclic nucleoti...

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