Label-free differentially proteomic analysis of interspecific interaction between white-rot fungi highlights oxidative stress response and high metabolic activity.

The laccase production by mycelial antagonistic interaction among white-rot fungi is a very important pathway for lignin degradation research. To gain a better understanding of competitive mechanisms under mycelial antagonistic interaction among three lignin-degrading white-rot basidiomycetes of Trametesversicolor (Tv), Pleurotusostreatus (Po) and Dichomitussqualens (Ds), mycelial morphology and proteins in three co-culture combinations TvPo (Tv cocultivated with Po), PoDs (Po cocultivated with Ds), TvDs (Tv cocultivated with Ds) were compared with corresponding each two mono-cultures. In this study, scanning electron microscopy detection of co-cultures indicated a highly close attachment of fungal hyphae with each other and conidiation could be inhibited under fungal interaction. In addition, a label-free proteomic analysis revealed changes on fungal proteomes existed in their counterpart competitors of co-culture. The maximum number of 1020 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in PoDs relative to Po while the minimum number of 367 DEPs were identified in PoDs relative to Ds. Notably, we also found a large number of overexpressed proteins were oxidative stress-related proteins, followed by carbohydrate metabolism-related proteins and energy production-related proteins in all three co-culture combinations compared with control. These results were important for the future exploration of molecular mechanisms underlying lignin-degrading fungal interaction.