Trypsinization increases lectin-induced agglutinability of uncapacitated guinea pig sperm

Capacitated guinea pig sperm are more agglutinable by the lectin soybean agglutinin (SBA) than uncapacitated sperm (Talbot and Franklin, '78). This study demonstrates that uncapacitated guinea pig sperm become as agglutinable by SBA as capacitated sperm when treated with trypsin, but not chymotrypsin. The pattern of lectin induced sperm agglutination after trypsinization resembles that for capacitated sperm. Also, trypsinization specifically increases SBA induced agglutination and does not affect agglutination by RCA-60; similar results are obtained during in vitro capacitation. Taken together, these data may indicate that a trypsin-like enzyme modifies the sperm surface during capacitation.