sn-1,2-diacylglycerol and choline increase after fertilization in Xenopus laevis

sn-1,2-Diacylglycerol (DAG) mass and translocation of protein kinase C alpha and beta to a membrane fraction increased approximately 7 min after insemination of Xenopus laevis eggs. The DAG mass increase of 48 pmol (from 62 to 110 pmol/cell) was greater than that for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3; an increase of approximately 170 fmol or approximately 280-fold smaller than the DAG increase), and DAG peaks approximately 5 min after IP3. Choline mass (a measure of phosphatidyl choline-specific phospholipase D) also peaked before DAG and the choline increase (134 pmol/cell) was greater than that of DAG. There was no detectable change in phosphocholine mass (a measure of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C). During first cleavage, DAG decreased, PKC translocation was low, and choline increased and peaked (whereas published work shows an increase in IP3 mass). Artificial elevation of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) increased DAG levels but prevention of the [Ca2+]i increase after fertilization did not block DAG production. Thus, sperm stimulate production of DAG and choline through [Ca2+]i-independent and [Ca2+]i-dependent paths.