Question

Antifertilizin is
A. Glycoprotein
B. Simple acidic protein
C. Carbohydrate
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Antifertilizin attracts to a proteoglycan named ‘fertilizin’ and their interaction is known as “Agglutination”. Agglutination is a process which involves the antigen-antibody interaction. Antifertilizin helps in interaction of the egg of a species to its own sperm and ensures the fertilization of the egg by the sperm. The chemical interaction between fertilizin and Antifertilizin helps in fertilization of the egg and sperm.

Complete answer:
To ensure the fertilization in an organism, both the male and female gametes possess some chemicals that attract both of them towards each other. One of those chemicals is “Fertilizin ''.
Egg cytoplasm of an organism releases fertilizin which is a proteoglycan. Fertilizin interacts with another protein named “Antifertilizin”. Antifertilizin is secreted from the plasma of the sperm.
This protein ensures that the egg of a specific species fertilizes the sperm of the same species.
When fertilizin interacts with Antifertilizin, it creates ‘egg water’ which then attracts the sperm that belongs to the same species as the egg. Antifertilizin is a kind of ‘chemoattractant’.
Fertilizin acts as a receptor for Antifertilizin and helps the sperm to stick to the outer surface of eggs of the same species and helps in penetration of the egg. This process is also known as ‘Agglutination”
Because Antifertilizin is a kind of acidic protein, i.e. it is made of acidic amino acids; the chemical is a simple acidic protein.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Antifertilizin is an acidic protein i.e. they tend to move faster than serum albumin and they bind most tightly to the ion exchangers in chromatography.
Glycoprotein on the other hand, is proteins which have oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to the amino acid chains. They mainly help in the physiological functions, for example, immunity. Viruses also contain glycoprotein which helps them enter inside the cells.
Carbohydrates are used by the body to consume energy. They are broken down into glucose mainly to produce energy for doing daily tasks.