Department of Biology, University of Vermont, 120A Marsh Life Science Building, Burlington, Vermont 05405, USA.
J Proteome Res. 2010 Oct 1;9(10):5484-91. doi: 10.1021/pr100284n.
Proteomics is fast becoming one of the most interdisciplinary fields, bridging many chemical and biological disciplines. Major challenges, however, can limit the reach of proteomics to studies of model organisms. Challenges include the adequate preservation of field samples and the reliance of in-depth proteomics on sequenced genomes. Seeking to better establish the evolutionary relationships of hornets and yellowjackets comprising the subfamily Vespinae, we are combining classical morphological and genomic information with a functional genomics trait using proteomics. Vespine species form highly social colonies and exhibit division of labor in almost all aspects of colony life. An extreme digestive division of labor has been reported in Vespa orientalis, in which larvae but not adult workers exhibit the capacity to digest proteins fully. This makes the colony dependent upon the amino acid-rich trophallactic fluid released to adults by larvae and implies that the V. orientalis superorganism possesses larval-specific proteases. Identifying the proteases and the species exhibiting such extreme partitioning of digestive labor will allow for tracing the phylogenetic origins and elaboration of that digestive partitioning in the Vespinae. Herein we describe methods, generally applicable to field samples, showing the preservation of proteins and proteolytic activity from adult and larval vespine trophallactic fluid.
蛋白质组学正迅速成为最具跨学科性的领域之一，连接了许多化学和生物学领域。然而，主要的挑战可能会限制蛋白质组学在模式生物研究中的应用。这些挑战包括对野外样本的充分保存以及对深度蛋白质组学的依赖测序基因组。为了更好地建立包括 Vespinae 亚科在内的胡蜂和黄蜂的进化关系，我们将经典形态学和基因组信息与功能基因组学特征相结合，使用蛋白质组学进行研究。Vespine 物种形成高度社会化的群体，并在群体生活的几乎所有方面表现出分工。在东方蜜蜂中报道了一种极端的消化分工，其中幼虫而不是成年工蜂具有完全消化蛋白质的能力。这使得群体依赖于幼虫释放给成年的富含氨基酸的蜜露，这意味着 V. orientalis 超生物体拥有幼虫特异性的蛋白酶。鉴定出这些蛋白酶以及表现出这种极端消化分工的物种，将有助于追踪 Vespinae 中这种消化分工的进化起源和发展。本文介绍了一般适用于野外样本的方法，展示了从成年和幼虫胡蜂蜜露中保存蛋白质和蛋白水解活性的方法。
