The study found out how the egg and sperm connect

How sperm and egg meet has long been a mystery.

Now, new research by scientists in Austria offers an interesting insight. It appears that fertilization works like… lock and key In animals that have a backbone – from fish to humans. These animals are called vertebrates.

“We have discovered this mechanism This really is essential “In all vertebrates as far as we can tell,” said co-author Andrea Pauli. He spoke to The Associated Press from the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna, Austria.

The team found that three proteins in sperm combine to form a kind of key that unlocks the egg. This process allows the sperm to attach to the egg.

The research results come from studies in zebrafish, mice and human cells. It shows how this process continued over millions of years development.

The results appear in the journal Science, cell.

Scientists already knew that there were two proteins, one found on the surface of the sperm and the other found in the egg tissue. Working with an international team, Pauli's lab used Google DeepMind's AlphaFold AI tool to help them find and identify a new protein. The protein allows the first molecular contact between sperm and egg.

AlphaFold's developers won the Nobel Prize earlier this month.

However, what researchers don't know yet is how the proteins work together as a team to make sperm and egg recognize each other, Pauley said.

Scientists still do not know how the sperm enters the egg after it attaches. They say they hope to explore that next.

Such research could help other scientists better understand infertility or develop new methods of birth control, also called contraception, Pauley said.

The work provides targets for the development of contraceptives for men, David Greenstein said in an email to the AP. Greenstein is an expert in genetics and cell biology at the University of Minnesota and was not involved in the study. The latest study also highlights the importance of this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry, he said in an email.

I'm Anna Matteo.

Laura Ungar reported this story for the Associated Press. Edited by Anna Matteo for Voice of America Learning English.

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The words in this story

lock – N. A fixation (such as a door) in which a bolt (such as a key) is operated

key – N. A metal tool, usually used to open a lock or to start or access a mechanism

mechanism – N. A process, technique, or system for achieving a result

essential – characteristic. Serves as a foundation that supports existence or defines basic structure or function

development – N. The process by which new species or groups of organisms evolve from pre-existing forms over successive generations

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