Proteomic insights into nematode-trapping fungi after their response to chitin.

INTRODUCTION

Nematode-trapping fungi (NTFs) can produce various chitinases to degrade nematode body wall and eggshell chitin during predation. However, the regulatory mechanisms of their expression of chitinases still remain unclear. The primary objective of this study was to elucidate the differential protein profile of , an NTF, in response to chitin.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Colloidal chitin was added to induce the culture of , and the phenotypic differences before and after induction were observed under inverted microscope. The differential proteins before and after mycelium induction were screened by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The differentially expressed chitinase was expressed in yeast, and the recombinant enzyme was incubated with and its egg suspension to explore its biological activity.

RESULTS

It was found that there was a significant acceleration in the mycelial growth post chitin interaction in . A total of 1,124 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between the control group (AO-c) and the experimental group (AO-e), with 183 upregulated and 941 downregulated. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that the DEPs acted in various metabolic processes with catalysis and binding functions. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis associated these proteins primarily with signalling pathways related to glucose metabolism. Three chitinases were significantly modulated among DEPs. Moreover, enzymatic activity assays demonstrated that one of them effectively degraded and its eggs.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that can significantly alter its protein expression profile in response to chitin, thereby facilitating its sugar metabolism and mycelial development. Our study provided new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of nematode predation in .