Allurin and egg jelly coat impact on in-vitro fertilization success of endangered Albanian water frog, Pelophylax shqipericus

Abstract

Amphibian egg-jelly coat plays an important role in successful fertilization and development. Here, we ask whether proteins like allurin in the jelly coats of frog eggs might influence fertilization rate success. Using in vitro fertilization of Albanian water frog, Pelophylax shqipericus, we found that body cavity eggs or eggs deprived of jelly coat were not fertilized, compromising the success of in vitro fertilization procedure. When de-jellied eggs were inseminated with sperm suspension, the fertilization efficiency is dramatically decreased even inhibited, suggesting that the gel structure is one of the major factors in the achievement of fertilization in the frogs. Fertilization of de-jellied eggs with sperm pre-treated with egg jelly coat, restored the fertilization competency. Such a result suggests that egg jelly coat probably guides the sperm to the egg surface while maintaining the fertilization ability, contributing to a successful in vitro fertilization of Pelophylax shqipericus.