Name: using an extracellular flux analyzer to measure changes in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation during mouse sperm capacitation
Uploaded: 2020-01-22T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Using an Extracellular Flux Analyzer to Measure Changes in Glycolysis and Oxidative Phosphorylation during Mouse Sperm Capacitation at JoVE.com

The authors wish to acknowledge support from Dr. Lavoisier Ramos-Espiritu at the Rockefeller High Throughput and Spectroscopy Resource Center.

Sperm are collected from 8-16-week-old CD-1 male mice. Animal experiments were approved by Weill Cornell Medicine&#39;s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
1. Day prior to assay
<ol>
	<li>Preparation of sensor cartridge and extracellular flux analyzer calibrant
	<ol>
		<li>To hydrate the sensor cartridge, remove the sensor cartridge from the XFe96 Extracellular Flux Assay Kit and place the sensor cartridge upside down next to the utility plate.</li>
		<li>Fi...

<ol>
	<li>Wu, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multiparameter+metabolic+analysis+reveals+a+close+link+between+attenuated+mitochondrial+bioenergetic+function+and+enhanced+glycolysis+dependency+in+human+tumor+cells.">Multiparameter metabolic analysis reveals a close link between attenuated mitochondrial bioenergetic function and enhanced glycolysis dependency in human tumor cells.</a> American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology. 292 (1), C125-C136 (2007).</li><li>Amo, T., Yadava, N., Oh, R., Nicholls, D. G., Brand, M. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Experimental+assessment+of+bioenergetic+differences+caused+by+the+common+European+mitochondrial+DNA+haplogroups+H+and+T.">Experimental assessment of bioenergetic differences caused by the common European mitochondrial DNA haplogroups H and T.</a> Gene. 411 (1-2), 69-76 (2008).</li><li>Choi, S. W., Gerencser, A. A., Nicholls, D. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bioenergetic+analysis+of+isolated+cerebrocortical+nerve+terminals+on+a+microgram+scale:+spare+respiratory+capacity+and+stochastic+mitochondrial+failure.">Bioenergetic analysis of isolated cerebrocortical nerve terminals on a microgram scale: spare respiratory capacity and stochastic mitochondrial failure.</a> Journal of Neurochemistry. 109 (4), 1179-1191 (2009).</li><li>de Groof, A. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Increased+OXPHOS+activity+precedes+rise+in+glycolytic+rate+in+H-RasV12/E1A+transformed+fibroblasts+that+develop+a+Warburg+phenotype.">Increased OXPHOS activity precedes rise in glycolytic rate in H-RasV12/E1A transformed fibroblasts that develop a Warburg phenotype.</a> Molecular Cancer. 8, 54 (2009).</li><li>Chao, L. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Insulin+resistance+and+altered+systemic+glucose+metabolism+in+mice+lacking+Nur77.">Insulin resistance and altered systemic glucose metabolism in mice lacking Nur77.</a> Diabetes. 58 (12), 2788-2796 (2009).</li><li>Chang, M. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fertilizing+capacity+of+spermatozoa+deposited+into+the+fallopian+tubes.">Fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa deposited into the fallopian tubes.</a> Nature. 168 (4277), 697-698 (1951).</li><li>Austin, C. R., Bishop, M. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+the+rodent+acrosome+and+perforatorium+in+fertilization.">Role of the rodent acrosome and perforatorium in fertilization.</a> Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. 149 (935), 241-248 (1958).</li><li>Ishijima, S., Baba, S. A., Mohri, H., Suarez, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantitative+analysis+of+flagellar+movement+in+hyperactivated+and+acrosome-reacted+golden+hamster+spermatozoa.">Quantitative analysis of flagellar movement in hyperactivated and acrosome-reacted golden hamster spermatozoa.</a> Molecular Reproduction and Development. 61 (3), 376-384 (2002).</li><li>Suarez, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Control+of+hyperactivation+in+sperm.">Control of hyperactivation in sperm.</a> Human Reproduction Update. 14 (6), 647-657 (2008).</li><li>Goodson, S. G., Qiu, Y., Sutton, K. A., Xie, G., Jia, W., O'Brien, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Metabolic+substrates+exhibit+differential+effects+on+functional+parameters+of+mouse+sperm+capacitation.">Metabolic substrates exhibit differential effects on functional parameters of mouse sperm capacitation.</a> Biology of Reproduction. 87 (3), 75 (2012).</li><li>Travis, A. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+relationships+between+capacitation-dependent+cell+signaling+and+compartmentalized+metabolic+pathways+in+murine+spermatozoa.">Functional relationships between capacitation-dependent cell signaling and compartmentalized metabolic pathways in murine spermatozoa.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 276 (10), 7630-7636 (2001).</li><li>Urner, F., Leppens-Luisier, G., Sakkas, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Protein+tyrosine+phosphorylation+in+sperm+during+gamete+interaction+in+the+mouse:+the+influence+of+glucose.">Protein tyrosine phosphorylation in sperm during gamete interaction in the mouse: the influence of glucose.</a> Biology of Reproduction. 64 (5), 1350-1357 (2001).</li><li>Danshina, P. V., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phosphoglycerate+kinase+2+(PGK2)+is+essential+for+sperm+function+and+male+fertility+in+mice.">Phosphoglycerate kinase 2 (PGK2) is essential for sperm function and male fertility in mice.</a> Biology of Reproduction. 82 (1), 136-145 (2010).</li><li>Miki, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Glyceraldehyde+3-phosphate+dehydrogenase-S,+a+sperm-specific+glycolytic+enzyme,+is+required+for+sperm+motility+and+male+fertility.">Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-S, a sperm-specific glycolytic enzyme, is required for sperm motility and male fertility.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 101 (47), 16501-16506 (2004).</li><li>Mori, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mouse+spermatogenic+cell-specific+type+1+hexokinase+(mHk1-s)+transcripts+are+expressed+by+alternative+splicing+from+the+mHk1+gene+and+the+HK1-S+protein+is+localized+mainly+in+the+sperm+tail.">Mouse spermatogenic cell-specific type 1 hexokinase (mHk1-s) transcripts are expressed by alternative splicing from the mHk1 gene and the HK1-S protein is localized mainly in the sperm tail.</a> Molecular Reproduction and Development. 49 (4), 374-385 (1998).</li><li>Westhoff, D., Kamp, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Glyceraldehyde+3-phosphate+dehydrogenase+is+bound+to+the+fibrous+sheath+of+mammalian+spermatozoa.">Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase is bound to the fibrous sheath of mammalian spermatozoa.</a> Journal of Cell Science. 110 (15), 1821-1829 (1997).</li><li>Nevo, A. C., Rikmenspoel, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Diffusion+of+ATP+in+sperm+flagella.">Diffusion of ATP in sperm flagella.</a> Journal of Theoretical Biology. 26 (1), 11-18 (1970).</li><li>Adam, D. E., Wei, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mass+transport+of+ATP+within+the+motile+sperm.">Mass transport of ATP within the motile sperm.</a> Journal of Theoretical Biology. 49 (1), 125-145 (1975).</li><li>Tombes, R. M., Shapiro, B. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enzyme+termini+of+a+phosphocreatine+shuttle.+Purification+and+characterization+of+two+creatine+kinase+isozymes+from+sea+urchin+sperm.">Enzyme termini of a phosphocreatine shuttle. Purification and characterization of two creatine kinase isozymes from sea urchin sperm.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 262 (33), 16011-16019 (1987).</li><li>Gomendio, M., Tourmente, M., Roldan, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Why+mammalian+lineages+respond+differently+to+sexual+selection:+metabolic+rate+constrains+the+evolution+of+sperm+size.">Why mammalian lineages respond differently to sexual selection: metabolic rate constrains the evolution of sperm size.</a> Proceedings of the Royal Society of Biological Sciences. 278 (1721), 3135-3141 (2011).</li><li>Tourmente, M., Villar-Moya, P., Rial, E., Roldan, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Differences+in+ATP+generation+via+glycolysis+and+oxidative+phosphorylation+and+relationships+with+sperm+motility+in+mouse+species.">Differences in ATP generation via glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation and relationships with sperm motility in mouse species.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 290 (33), 20613-20626 (2015).</li><li>Visconti, P. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Capacitation+of+mouse+spermatozoa.+II.+Protein+tyrosine+phosphorylation+and+capacitation+are+regulated+by+a+cAMP-dependent+pathway.">Capacitation of mouse spermatozoa. II. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation and capacitation are regulated by a cAMP-dependent pathway.</a> Development. 121 (4), 1139-1150 (1995).</li><li>Buck, J., Sinclair, M. L., Schapal, L., Cann, M. J., Levin, L. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cytosolic+adenylyl+cyclase+defines+a+unique+signaling+molecule+in+mammals.">Cytosolic adenylyl cyclase defines a unique signaling molecule in mammals.</a> PNAS. 96 (1), 79-84 (1999).</li><li>Visconti, P. E., Bailey, J. L., Moore, G. D., Pan, D., Olds-Clarke, P., Kopf, G. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Capacitation+of+mouse+spermatozoa.+I.+Correlation+between+the+capacitation+state+and+protein+tyrosine+phosphorylation.">Capacitation of mouse spermatozoa. I. Correlation between the capacitation state and protein tyrosine phosphorylation.</a> Development. 121 (4), 1129-1137 (1995).</li><li>Morgan, D. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tissue-specific+PKA+inhibition+using+a+chemical+genetic+approach+and+its+application+to+studies+on+sperm+capacitation.">Tissue-specific PKA inhibition using a chemical genetic approach and its application to studies on sperm capacitation.</a> PNAS. 105 (52), 20740-20745 (2008).</li><li>Lybaert, P., Danguy, A., Leleux, F., Meuris, S., Lebrun, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Improved+methodology+for+the+detection+and+quantification+of+the+acrosome+reaction+in+mouse+spermatozoa.">Improved methodology for the detection and quantification of the acrosome reaction in mouse spermatozoa.</a> Histology and Histopathology. 24 (8), 999-1007 (2009).</li></ol>

The loss of sperm capacitation in the absence of certain metabolic substrates or critical metabolic enzymes revealed energy metabolism as a key factor supporting successful fertilization. A metabolic switch during cell activation is a well-established concept in other cell types, however, we are just beginning to understand how sperm adapt their metabolism to the increasing energy demand during capacitation. Using an extracellular flux analyzer, we developed an easily applicable tool to monitor changes in glycolysis and ...

The application of mass spectrometry has revolutionized the study of metabolism. Targeted metabolic profiling and metabolomic tracing allow precise monitoring of changes in energy metabolism. However, performing metabolomics successfully requires extensive training, experienced staff, and expensive, highly sensitive mass spectrometers not readily available to every laboratory. In recent years, using an extracellular flux analyzer, such as the Seahorse XFe96 has grown popular as a surrogate method for measuring changes in energy metabolism in various cell types1,2,3,4,5.
Sperm are highly specialized motile cells; whose task is to deliver the paternal genome to the oocyte. Sperm leaving the male reproductive tract after ejaculation are still functionally immature and cannot fertilize the oocyte because they are unable to penetrate the oocytes&#39; vestments. Sperm acquire fertilization competence as they transit through the female reproductive tract in a maturation process known as capacitation6,7. Freshly ejaculated sperm or sperm dissected from the cauda epididymis can be capacitated in vitro by incubation in defined capacitation media containing Ca2+, bicarbonate (HCO3-) or a cell-permeable cAMP analog (e.g., dibutyryl-cAMP), a cholesterol acceptor (e.g., bovine serum albumin, BSA), and an energy source (e.g., glucose). During capacitation, sperm modify their motility pattern into an asymmetric flagellar beat, representing a swimming mode called hyperactivation8,9, and they become competent to undergo the acrosome reaction7, where proteolytic enzymes are released that digest the oocytes&#39; vestments. These processes require energy, and similar to somatic cells, sperm generate ATP and other high energy compounds via glycolysis as well as mitochondrial TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation (oxphos)10. While multiple studies demonstrate that glycolysis is necessary and sufficient to support sperm capacitation11,12,13,14, the contribution of oxphos is less clear. Contrary to other cell types where glycolysis is physically coupled to the TCA cycle, sperm are highly compartmentalized and are thought to maintain these processes in separate flagellar compartments: the midpiece concentrates the mitochondrial machinery, whereas the key enzymes of glycolysis appear to be restricted to the principal piece15,16. This compartmentalization results in an ongoing debate about whether pyruvate produced in the principal piece by glycolysis can support mitochondrial oxphos in the midpiece, and whether ATP produced by oxphos in the midpiece would be able to diffuse sufficiently rapidly along the length of the flagellum to support the energy requirements in distal parts of the principal piece17,18,19. There is also support of a role for oxphos in sperm capacitation. Not only is oxphos more energetically favorable than glycolysis, generating 16 times more ATP than glycolysis, but midpiece volume and mitochondrial content are directly correlated with reproductive fitness in mammalian species which exhibit greater degrees of competition between males for mates20. Addressing these questions requires methods for examining the relative contributions of glycolysis and oxphos during sperm capacitation.
Tourmente et al. applied a 24-well extracellular flux analyzer to compare the energy metabolism of closely related mouse species with significantly different sperm performance parameters21. Instead of reporting the basal ECAR and OCR values of non-capacitated sperm, here, we adapt their method using a 96-well extracellular flux analyzer to monitor changes in energy metabolism during mouse sperm capacitation in real-time. We developed a method that allows simultaneously monitoring glycolysis and oxphos in real-time in sperm with beating flagella in up to twelve different experimental conditions by measuring the flux of oxygen (O2) and protons (H+) (Figure 1A). Due to the breakdown of pyruvate to lactate during glycolysis and the production of CO2 via the TCA-cycle, non-capacitated and capacitated sperm extrude H+ into the assay media which are detected by the extracellular flux analyzer via H+-sensitive fluorophores immobilized to the probe tip of a sensor cartridge. In parallel, O2 consumption by oxidative phosphorylation is detected via O2-sensitive fluorophores immobilized to the same probe tip (Figure 1B). Effective detection of the released H+ and consumed O2 requires a modified sperm buffer with low buffering capacity without bicarbonate or phenol red. Thus, to induce capacitation in the absence of bicarbonate, we adopted the use of a cell-permeable cAMP analog injected together with the broad-range PDE inhibitor IBMX22. Three additional independent injection ports allow the injection of pharmacological activators and/or inhibitors, which facilitates real-time detection of changes in cellular respiration and glycolysis rate due to experimental manipulation.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Reagents</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2-Deoxy-D-glucose</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>D8375</td>
			<td>2-DG</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>I7018</td>
			<td>IBMX; prepare a 500 mM stock solution in DMSO (111.1 mg/ml) and store in small aliquots</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antimycin A</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>A8674</td>
			<td>AntA; prepare a 5 mM stock solution in DMSO (2.7 mg/ml) and store in small aliquots</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine serum albumin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>A1470</td>
			<td>BSA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Calcium chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>C1016</td>
			<td>CaCl2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Concanacalin A, Lectin from Arachis hypogaea (peanut)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>L7381</td>
			<td>ConA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glucose</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>G7528</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hepes</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>H0887</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isothesia</td>
			<td>Henry Schein Animal Health</td>
			<td>1169567761</td>
			<td>Isoflurane</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Magnesium sulfate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>M2643</td>
			<td>MgSO4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N6,2&#39;-O-Dibutyryladenosine 3&#39;,5&#39;-cyclic monophosphate sodium salt</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>D0627</td>
			<td>db-cAMP</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P9333</td>
			<td>KCl</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium dihydrogen phosphate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P5655</td>
			<td>KH2PO4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rotenone</td>
			<td>Cayman Chemical Company</td>
			<td>13995</td>
			<td>Rot; prepare a 5 mM stock solution in DMSO (2mg/ml) and store in small aliquots</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium bicarbonate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S5761</td>
			<td>NaHCO3-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>S9888</td>
			<td>NaCl</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Equipment and materials</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12 channel pipette 10-100 &#956;L</td>
			<td>eppendorf</td>
			<td>ES-12-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12 channel pipette 50-300 &#956;L</td>
			<td>vwr</td>
			<td>613-5257</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>37 &#176;C, non-CO2 incubator</td>
			<td>vwr</td>
			<td>1545</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5 mL cetrifuge tubes</td>
			<td>eppendorf</td>
			<td>30119380</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL conical centrifuge tubes</td>
			<td>vwr</td>
			<td>76211-286</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Centrifuge with plate adapter</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>IEC FL40R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dissection kit</td>
			<td>World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td>MOUSEKIT</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Inverted phase contrast microscope with 40X objective</td>
			<td>Nikon</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>OctaPool Solution Reservoirs, 25 ml, divided</td>
			<td>Thomas Scientific</td>
			<td>1159X93</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>OctaPool Solution Reservoirs, 25 mL, divided</td>
			<td>Thomas Scientific</td>
			<td>1159X95</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Seahorse XFe96 Analyzer</td>
			<td>Agilent</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Seahorse XFe96 FluxPak</td>
			<td>Agilent</td>
			<td>102416-100</td>
			<td>Also sold as XFe96 FluxPak mini (102601-100) with 6 instead of 18 cartidges.</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

using an extracellular flux analyzer to measure changes in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation during mouse sperm capacitation

Mammalian sperm acquire fertilization capacity in the female reproductive tract in a process known as capacitation. Capacitation-associated processes require energy. There remains an ongoing debate about the sources generating the ATP which fuels sperm progressive motility, capacitation, hyperactivation, and acrosome reaction. Here, we describe the application of an extracellular flux analyzer as a tool to analyze changes in energy metabolism during mouse sperm capacitation. Using H+- and O2- sensitive fluorophores, this method allows monitoring glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in real-time in non-capacitated versus capacitating sperm. Using this assay in the presence of different energy substrates and/or pharmacological activators and/or inhibitors can provide important insights into the contribution of different metabolic pathways and the intersection between signaling cascades and metabolism during sperm capacitation.

This method uses an extracellular flux analyzer to monitor real-time changes in the rate of glycolysis and oxphos during mouse sperm capacitation. Figure 4 shows an exemplary experiment where sperm were capacitated in the presence of glucose as the only energy substrate and 2-DG and antimycin and rotenone as pharmacological modulators. The energy substrate in the extracellular flux analyzer TYH buffer and the pharmacological modulators can be freely selected ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Using an Extracellular Flux Analyzer to Measure Changes in Glycolysis and Oxidative Phosphorylation during Mouse Sperm Capacitation at JoVE.com

Using an Extracellular Flux Analyzer to Measure Changes in Glycolysis and Oxidative Phosphorylation during Mouse Sperm Capacitation

We describe the application of an extracellular flux analyzer to monitor real-time changes in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation during mouse sperm capacitation.

Mammalian sperm acquire fertilization capacity in the female reproductive tract in a process known as capacitation. Capacitation-associated processes ...

This protocol can be used to apply an extracellular flux analyzer to monitor changes in energy metabolism during sperm capacitation. We developed this protocol to compare changes in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in real time between non-capacitated and capacitated mouse sperm. On the day before the assay, remove the sensor cartridge from an extracellular flux assay kit and place the cartridge upside down next to the utility plate.Fill a solution reservoir with 25 milliliters of double distilled water and add 200 microliters of water to each well of the utility plate, then place the sensor cartridge back into the utility plate. Place the plate into a 37 degree Celsius non-carbon dioxide incubator. Next, aliquot 25 milliliters of extracellular flux analyzer calibrant into a 50 milliliter conical tube and place the tube into the 37 degree Celsius non-carbon dioxide incubator.To prepare ConA coated micro plates, dissolve 2.5 milligrams of ConA in five milliliters of double distilled water and use a multichannel pipette to fill each well of an extracellular flux analyzer 96-well plate with 50 microliters of the ConA solution, then leave the lid open to let the plate dry overnight. To prepare the sperm buffer, heat 250 milliliters of extracellular flux analyzer TYH buffer to 37 degrees Celsius and adjust the pH to 7.4. On the day of the assay, replace the water in each well of the utility plate with 200 microliters of XF calibrant per well and place the plate back into the non-carbon dioxide incubator for at least one hour.To generate a wave template, turn on the extracellular flux analyzer. While the temperature is stabilizing to 37 degrees Celsius, open the wave software and open a blank template. Under the group definitions tab, define the assay medium as TYH and the cell type as mouse sperm, leaving the injection strategies and pretreatments blank.Create different groups for each assay condition and open the plate map to assign each group to specific wells. Under the protocol tab, unhighlight equilibrate, add each of four different measurement cycles, select the respective port, and edit the measurement details so that the measure after injection is highlighted, then save the assay template, fill out the project summary and save the results. Before harvesting the sperm, prewarm 50 milliliters of TYH buffer at 37 degrees Celsius.After harvesting caudas from adult male mice, place each cauda in 500 microliters of the pre-warmed TYH buffer in individual wells of a 24-well plate. Use forceps to immobilize each cauda individually at the bottom of each well and quickly make five to seven small incisions in each tissue using feather scissors. When all of the caudas have been incised, immediately place the plate into the non-carbon dioxide incubator to allow the sperm to disperse for 15 minutes.To load the sensor cartridge, remove the lid from the sensor cartridge and align the letter of the respective port loading guide with the upper left corner of the cartridge. Holding the port loading guide in place, insert the pipette tips vertically into the port loading guide holes of port A and inject 20 microliters of TYH buffer into every column. For port B, inject 22 microliters of TYH buffer into columns one through four, 22 microliters of 500 millimolar 2-deoxyglucose into columns five through eight, and 25 microliters of five micromolar antimycin A rotenone into columns nine through 12.For port C, inject 25 microliters of TYH buffer into every column with odd numbers and 25 microliters of 10 millimolar of dibutyryl-cyclic AMP 500 micromolar IBMX into every column with even numbers, then place the sensor cartridge with a calibration plate into the extracellular flux analyzer and start the assay. The calibration will take 10 to 15 minutes. To prepare the sperm plates, add three milliliters of three milligrams per milliliter bovine serum albumin in TYH buffer to each of three five milliliter centrifuge tubes.Next, pool two wells of sperm into each of three 1.5 milliliter centrifuge tubes. After counting, dilute the sperm to a two times 10 to the seven sperm per milliliter concentration per sample in fresh TYH supplemented with bovine serum albumin. Sediment the sperm by centrifugation and resuspend the sperm pellets in one milliliter of TYH buffer.Centrifuge the sperm again and remove the supernatants taking care not to disturb the pellets. Transfer each sperm suspension into one of the prepared five milliliter centrifuge tubes and add 180 microliters of TYH buffer into each corner well of a ConA coated plate. Add 180 microliters of sperm into each empty well of the ConA coated plate and centrifuge the plate two times rotating the plate 180 degrees between centrifugations, then place the calibration plate with the sperm plate and continue the assay.In this representative experiment, sperm were capacitated in the presence of glucose as the only energy substrate and 2-deoxyglucose and antimycin and rotenone as the pharmacological modulators. The arrow indicates induction of capacitation. In the presence of glucose, capacitation was accompanied by a seven-fold increase in the extracellular acidification rate which is inhibited by blocking glycolysis with 2-deoxyglucose.Capacitated sperm demonstrated a 20-fold increase in the oxygen consumption rate compared to non-capacitated sperm demonstrating that mouse sperm enhance both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation to support the increasing energy demand during capacitation. The rise in the extracellular acidification rate during sperm capacitation is not affected by the oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors antimycin A and rotenone indicating that the change in this rate is mainly driven by hydrogen release from glycolysis. The increase in oxygen consumption rate, however, is blocked by antimycin A and rotenone as well as by 2-deoxyglucose revealing that the increase in OXPHOS during sperm capacitation is dependent on glycolytic activity.The energy source and pharmacological activators and inhibitors can be varied depending on the goal of the experiment and up to 12 different conditions can be measured in parallel. The protocol can be easily adapted to other species like human or bovine where the changes in energy metabolism during capacitation are equally enigmatic.

using-an-extracellular-flux-analyzer-to-measure-changes-glycolysis

Research

JoVE Journal

Biochemistry

Oligopeptide Competition Assay for Phosphorylation Site Determination

Protein phosphorylation at specific sites determines its conformation and interaction with other molecules. Thus, protein phosphorylation affects biological functions and characteristics of the cell. Currently, the most common method for discovering phosphorylation sites is by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis, a rapid and sensitive method. However, relatively labile phosphate moieties are often released from phosphopeptides during the fragmentation step, which often yields false-negative signals. In such cases, a traditional in vitro kinase assay using site-directed mutants would be more accurate, but this method is laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, an alternative method using peptide competition may be advantageous. The consensus recognition motif of 5&#39; adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been established1 and was validated using a positional scanning peptide library assay2. Thus, AMPK phosphorylation sites for a novel substrate could be predicted and confirmed by the peptide competition assays. In this report, we describe the detailed steps and procedures for the in vitro oligopeptide-competing kinase assay by illustrating AMPK-mediated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) phosphorylation. To authenticate the phosphorylation site, we carried out a sequential in vitro kinase assay using a site-specific mutant. Overall, the peptide competition assay provides a method to screen multiple potential phosphorylation sites and to identify sites for validation by the phosphorylation site mutants.

Peptide competition assays are widely used in a variety of molecular and immunological experiments. This paper describes a detailed method for an in vitro oligopeptide-competing kinase assay and the associated validation procedures, which may be useful to find specific phosphorylation sites.

Protein phosphorylation at specific sites determines its conformation and interaction with other molecules. Thus, protein phosphorylation affects ...

Rab10 Phosphorylation Detection by LRRK2 Activity Using SDS-PAGE with a Phosphate-binding Tag

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) have been shown to be linked with familial Parkinson&#39;s disease (FPD). Since abnormal activation of the kinase activity of LRRK2 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PD, it is essential to establish a method to evaluate the physiological levels of the kinase activity of LRRK2. Recent studies revealed that LRRK2 phosphorylates members of the Rab GTPase family, including Rab10, under physiological conditions. Although the phosphorylation of endogenous Rab10 by LRRK2 in cultured cells could be detected by mass spectrometry, it has been difficult to detect it by immunoblotting due to the poor sensitivity of currently available phosphorylation-specific antibodies for Rab10. Here, we describe a simple method of detecting the endogenous levels of Rab10 phosphorylation by LRRK2 based on immunoblotting utilizing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) combined with a phosphate-binding tag (P-tag), which is N-(5-(2-aminoethylcarbamoyl)pyridin-2-ylmetyl)-N,N&#39;,N&#39;-tris(pyridin-2-yl-methyl)-1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol. The present protocol not only provides an example of the methodology utilizing the P-tag but also enables the assessment of how mutations as well as inhibitor treatment/administration or any other factors alter the downstream signaling of LRRK2 in cells and tissues.

The present study describes a simple method of detecting endogenous levels of Rab10 phosphorylation by leucine-rich repeat kinase 2.

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) have been shown to be linked with familial Parkinson&#39;s disease (FPD). Since abnormal activation of ...

The Determination of Protease Specificity in Mouse Tissue Extracts by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry: Manipulating PH to Cause Specificity Changes

Proteases have several biological functions, including protein activation/inactivation and food digestion. Identifying protease specificity is important for revealing protease function. The method proposed in this study determines protease specificity by measuring the molecular weight of unique substrates using Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The substrates contain iminobiotin, while the cleaved site consists of amino acids, and the spacer consists of polyethylene glycol. The cleaved substrate will generate a unique molecular weight using a cleaved amino acid. One of the merits of this method is that it may be carried out in one pot using crude samples, and it is also suitable for assessing multiple samples. In this article, we describe a simple experimental method optimized with samples extracted from mouse lung tissue, including tissue extraction, placement of digestive substrates into samples, purification of digestive substrates under different pH conditions, and measurement of the substrates&#39; molecular weight using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In summary, this technique allows for the identification of protease specificity in crude samples derived from tissue extracts using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, which may easily be scaled up for multiple sample processing.

Here, we present a protocol to determine protease specificity in crude mouse tissue extracts using MALDI-TOF spectrometry.

Proteases have several biological functions, including protein activation/inactivation and food digestion. Identifying protease specificity is important ...

Identification of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 Specific Phosphorylation Sites by an In Vitro Kinase Assay

Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) is a master controller for the cell cycle in all eukaryotes and phosphorylates an estimated 8 - 13% of the proteome; however, the number of identified targets for Cdk1, particularly in human cells is still low. The identification of Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites is important, as they provide mechanistic insights into how Cdk1 controls the cell cycle. Cell cycle regulation is critical for faithful chromosome segregation, and defects in this complicated process lead to chromosomal aberrations and cancer.
Here, we describe an in vitro kinase assay that is used to identify Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites. In this assay, a purified protein is phosphorylated in vitro by commercially available human Cdk1/cyclin B. Successful phosphorylation is confirmed by SDS-PAGE, and phosphorylation sites are subsequently identified by mass spectrometry. We also describe purification protocols that yield highly pure and homogeneous protein preparations suitable for the kinase assay, and a binding assay for the functional verification of the identified phosphorylation sites, which probes the interaction between a classical nuclear localization signal (cNLS) and its nuclear transport receptor karyopherin &#945;. To aid with experimental design, we review approaches for the prediction of Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites from protein sequences. Together these protocols present a very powerful approach that yields Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites and enables mechanistic studies into how Cdk1 controls the cell cycle. Since this method relies on purified proteins, it can be applied to any model organism and yields reliable results, especially when combined with cell functional studies.

Identification of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 Specific Phosphorylation Sites by an In Vitro Kinase Assay

Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) is activated in the G2 phase of the cell cycle and regulates many cellular pathways. Here, we present a protocol for an in vitro kinase assay with Cdk1, which allows the identification of Cdk1-specific phosphorylation sites for establishing cellular targets of this important kinase.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) is a master controller for the cell cycle in all eukaryotes and phosphorylates an estimated 8 - 13% of the proteome; ...

Human Peripheral Blood Neutrophil Isolation for Interrogating the Parkinson's Associated LRRK2 Kinase Pathway by Assessing Rab10 Phosphorylation

The leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is the most frequently mutated gene in hereditary Parkinson&#8217; disease (PD) and all pathogenic LRRK2 mutations result in hyperactivation of its kinase function. Here, we describe an easy and robust assay to quantify LRRK2 kinase pathway activity in human peripheral blood neutrophils by measuring LRRK2-controlled phosphorylation of one of its physiological substrates, Rab10 at threonine 73. The immunoblotting analysis described requires a fully selective and phosphospecific antibody that recognizes the Rab10 Thr73 epitope phosphorylated by LRRK2, such as the MJFF-pRab10 rabbit monoclonal antibody. It uses human peripheral blood neutrophils, because peripheral blood is easily accessible and neutrophils are an abundant and homogenous constituent. Importantly, neutrophils express relatively high levels of both LRRK2 and Rab10. A potential drawback of neutrophils is their high intrinsic serine protease activity, which necessitates the use of very potent protease inhibitors such as the organophosphorus neurotoxin diisopropylfluorophosphate (DIFP) as part of the lysis buffer. Nevertheless, neutrophils are a valuable resource for research into LRRK2 kinase pathway activity in vivo and should be considered for inclusion into PD biorepository collections.

Mutations in the leucine rich repeat kinase 2 gene (LRRK2) cause hereditary Parkinson&#8217;s disease. We have developed an easy and robust method for assessing LRRK2-controlled phosphorylation of Rab10 in human peripheral blood neutrophils. This may help identify individuals with increased LRRK2 kinase pathway activity.

The leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is the most frequently mutated gene in hereditary Parkinson&#8217; disease (PD) and all pathogenic LRRK2 ...

Examining the Dynamics of Cellular Adhesion and Spreading of Epithelial Cells on Fibronectin During Oxidative Stress

The adhesion and spreading of cells onto the extracellular matrix (ECM) are essential cellular processes during organismal development and for the homeostasis of adult tissues. Interestingly, oxidative stress can alter these processes, thus contributing to the pathophysiology of diseases such as metastatic cancer. Therefore, understanding the mechanism(s) of how cells attach and spread on the ECM during perturbations in redox status can provide insight into normal and disease states. Described below is a step-wise protocol that utilizes an immunofluorescence-based assay to specifically quantify cell adhesion and spreading of immortalized fibroblast cells on fibronectin (FN) in vitro. Briefly, anchorage-dependent cells are held in suspension and exposed to the ATM kinase inhibitor Ku55933 to induce oxidative stress. Cells are then plated on FN-coated surface and allowed to attach for predetermined periods of time. Cells that remain attached are fixed and labeled with fluorescence-based antibody markers of adhesion (e.g., paxillin) and spreading (e.g., F-actin). Data acquisition and analysis are performed using commonly available laboratory equipment, including an epifluorescence microscope and freely available Fiji software. This procedure is highly versatile and can be modified for a variety of cell lines, ECM proteins, or inhibitors in order to examine a broad range of biological questions.

This method is useful for quantifying the early dynamics of cellular adhesion and spreading of anchorage-dependent cells onto the fibronectin. Furthermore, this assay can be used to investigate the effects of altered redox homeostasis on cell spreading and/or cell adhesion-related intracellular signaling pathways.

The adhesion and spreading of cells onto the extracellular matrix (ECM) are essential cellular processes during organismal development and for the ...

Nonradioactive Assay to Measure Polynucleotide Phosphorylation of Small Nucleotide Substrates

Polynucleotide kinases (PNKs) are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of the 5&#39; hydroxyl end of DNA and RNA oligonucleotides. The activity of PNKs can be quantified using direct or indirect approaches. Presented here is a direct, in vitro approach to measure PNK activity that relies on a fluorescently-labeled oligonucleotide substrate and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This approach provides resolution of the phosphorylated products while avoiding the use of radiolabeled substrates. The protocol details how to set up the phosphorylation reaction, prepare and run large polyacrylamide gels, and quantify the reaction products. The most technically challenging part of this assay is pouring and running the large polyacrylamide gels; thus, important details to overcome common difficulties are provided. This protocol was optimized for Grc3, a PNK that assembles into an obligate pre-ribosomal RNA processing complex with its binding partner, the Las1 nuclease. However, this protocol can be adapted to measure the activity of other PNK enzymes. Moreover, this assay can also be modified to determine the effects of different components of the reaction, such as the nucleoside triphosphate, metal ions, and oligonucleotides.

This protocol describes a nonradioactive assay to measure kinase activity of polynucleotide kinases (PNKs) on small DNA and RNA substrates.

Polynucleotide kinases (PNKs) are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of the 5&#39; hydroxyl end of DNA and RNA oligonucleotides. The activity of ...

DetectSyn: A Rapid, Unbiased Fluorescent Method to Detect Changes in Synapse Density

Synapses are the site of communication between neurons. Neuronal circuit strength is related to synaptic density, and the breakdown of synapses is characteristic of disease states like major depressive disorder (MDD) and Alzheimer's disease. Traditional techniques to investigate synapse numbers include genetic expression of fluorescent markers (e.g., green fluorescent protein (GFP)), dyes that fill a neuron (e.g., carbocyanine dye, DiI), and immunofluorescent detection of spine markers (e.g., postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95)). A major caveat to these proxy techniques is that they only identify postsynaptic changes. Yet, a synapse is a connection between a presynaptic terminal and a postsynaptic spine. The gold standard for measuring synapse formation/elimination requires time-consuming electron microscopy or array tomography techniques. These techniques require specialized training and costly equipment. Further, only a limited number of neurons can be assessed and are used to represent changes to an entire brain region. DetectSyn is a rapid fluorescent technique that identifies changes to synapse formation or elimination due to a disease state or drug activity. DetectSyn utilizes a rapid proximity ligation assay to detect juxtaposed pre- and postsynaptic proteins and standard fluorescent microscopy, a technique readily available to most laboratories. Fluorescent detection of the resulting puncta allows for quick and unbiased analysis of experiments. DetectSyn provides more representative results than electron microscopy because larger areas can be analyzed than a limited number of fluorescent neurons. Moreover, DetectSyn works for in vitro cultured neurons and fixed tissue slices. Finally, a method is provided to analyze the data collected from this technique. Overall, DetectSyn offers a procedure for detecting relative changes in synapse density across treatments or disease states and is more accessible than traditional techniques.

DetectSyn is an unbiased, rapid fluorescent assay that measures changes in relative synapse (pre- and postsynaptic engagement) number across treatments or disease states. This technique utilizes a proximity ligation technique that can be used both in cultured neurons and fixed tissue.

Synapses are the site of communication between neurons. Neuronal circuit strength is related to synaptic density, and the breakdown of synapses is ...

An Optimized Single-Molecule Pull-Down Assay for Quantification of Protein Phosphorylation

Phosphorylation is a necessary posttranslational modification that regulates protein function and directs cell signaling outcomes. Current methods to measure protein phosphorylation cannot preserve the heterogeneity in phosphorylation across individual proteins. The single-molecule pull-down (SiMPull) assay was developed to investigate the composition of macromolecular complexes via immunoprecipitation of proteins on a glass coverslip followed by single-molecule imaging. The current technique is an adaptation of SiMPull that provides robust quantification of the phosphorylation state of full-length membrane receptors at the single-molecule level. Imaging thousands of individual receptors in this way allows for quantifying protein phosphorylation patterns. The present protocol details the optimized SiMPull procedure, from sample preparation to imaging. Optimization of glass preparation and antibody fixation protocols further enhances data quality. The current protocol provides code for the single-molecule data analysis that calculates the fraction of receptors phosphorylated within a sample. While this work focuses on phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the protocol can be generalized to other membrane receptors and cytosolic signaling molecules.

The present protocol describes sample preparation and data analysis to quantify protein phosphorylation using an improved single-molecule pull-down (SiMPull) assay.

Phosphorylation is a necessary posttranslational modification that regulates protein function and directs cell signaling outcomes. Current methods to ...

Extracellular Glucose Depletion as an Indirect Measure of Glucose Uptake in Cells and Tissues Ex Vivo

The ongoing worldwide epidemic of diabetes increases the demand for the identification of environmental, nutritional, endocrine, genetic, and epigenetic factors affecting glucose uptake. The measurement of intracellular fluorescence is a widely used method to test the uptake of fluorescently-labeled glucose (FD-glucose) in cells in vitro, or for imaging glucose-consuming tissues in vivo. This assay assesses glucose uptake at a chosen time point. The intracellular analysis assumes that the metabolism of FD-glucose is slower than that of endogenous glucose, which participates in catabolic and anabolic reactions and signaling. However, dynamic glucose metabolism also alters uptake mechanisms, which would require kinetic measurements of glucose uptake in response to different factors. This article describes a method for measuring extracellular FD-glucose depletion and validates its correlation with intracellular FD-glucose uptake in cells and tissues ex vivo. Extracellular glucose depletion may be potentially applicable for high-throughput kinetic and dose-dependent studies, as well as identifying compounds with glycemic activity and their tissue-specific effects.

Extracellular Glucose Depletion as an Indirect Measure of Glucose Uptake in Cells and Tissues Ex Vivo

Extracellular depletion of fluorescently labeled glucose correlates with glucose uptake and could be used for high-throughput screening of glucose uptake in excised organs and cell cultures.

The ongoing worldwide epidemic of diabetes increases the demand for the identification of environmental, nutritional, endocrine, genetic, and epigenetic ...