The Ly6/uPAR protein Bouncer is necessary and sufficient for species-specific fertilization

Abstract

Fertilization is fundamental for sexual reproduction, yet its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we identify an oocyte-expressed Ly6/uPAR protein, which we call Bouncer, as a crucial fertilization factor in zebrafish. We show that membrane-bound Bouncer mediates sperm-egg binding and is thus essential for sperm entry into the egg. Remarkably, Bouncer is not only required for sperm-egg interaction, but also sufficient to allow cross-species fertilization between zebrafish and medaka, two fish species that diverged over 150 million years ago. Our study thus identifies Bouncer as a key determinant of species-specific fertilization in fish. Bouncers closest homolog in tetrapods, SPACA4, is restricted to the male gonad in internally fertilizing vertebrates, suggesting that our findings in fish have relevance to human biology.