Vle CONG. INTERN. REPROD. ANIM. INSEM. ARTIF., PARIS, 1968, VOL. II

(6, 7, 8, 9). Several methods, including these, were tried, and
although slight solubilisation was observed with some treatments,
the only successful ones were those using detergents (Figure 1).
Both detergents tested, Triton X-100, a non-ionic type, and sodium
deoxycholate, an anionic type, gave over 90% solubilisation in all
species. The properties of hexokinase in the sperm cell would thus
seem to be rather similar to those of bovine brain hexokinase (6).

Further studies have indicated that the enzyme may be 'titrated
off' with a given amount of detergent per unit particulate HK
activity. The binding of the enzyme to the structural material may
well be of a specific lipoprotein nature.

In summary, the amounts of hexokinase in the sperm cell of the
bull, boar and ram have been measured and shown to be in large
excess of the maximal rate of fructose utilisation of the intact cell.
Thus this enzyme seems unlikely to be involved in control of rate of
sugar metabolism in the sperm cells of these species, and the levels
found do not account for the low fructose utilisation of the boar.

The binding of the hexokinase to particulate material in the
sperm cell has also been investigated and found to respond to deter-
gents only, a property it shares with the equivalent enzyme in bovine
brain tissue.

(6) R. K. CRANE & A. SOLS, 1953. J. Biol. Chem., 203: 273,

(7) D. BIESOLD & P, TEICHGREBER, 1967. Biochem. J., 103 13C3

(8) A. HERNANDEZ & R. K. CRANE, 1966. Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 113:
2235

(9) I. A. ROSE & J. V. B. WARMS, 1967. J. Biol. Chem., 242: 1635,

1249