Abstract
Quantitative changes of some glycolytic intermediaries have been investigated after fertilization of sea-urchin eggs. In the unfertilized eggs the concentration of all the sugar phosphates investigated was exceedingly low. Immediately after fertilization, the level of glucose 6-phosphate underwent a marked increase. The level of fructose diphosphate and triose phosphate, which are almost undetectable in the unfertilized egg, rose upon fertilization. Since the concentration of these esters is probably far below the point of saturation of the enzymes involved, breakdown of carbohydrates in the sea-urchin eggs may be limited by the low level of these esters. It is suggested that in the unfertilized egg there is a block of the pathway leading from glycogen to glucose 6-phosphate, and that release of this block takes place upon fertilization.
Published Version
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