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Proteomic and transcriptional analyses of Arthrobotrys oligospora cell wall related proteins reveal complexity of fungal virulence against nematodes

  • Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics
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Abstract

The nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora is the best-studied fungus for understanding the interaction between fungi and nematodes. The fungus uses three-dimensional adhesive networks to capture nematodes and then penetrates into the worms through their cuticle. Here we examine the effects of fungal cell wall related proteins on morphogenesis and virulence of the fungi. We focused on the changes in its proteomic and transcriptional profiles during its transition from saprophytic to predatory phase. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteomics using the liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method revealed an extended set of virulence related proteins, such as adhesins and serine proteases, on the cell wall of A. oligospora. Transcription analyses of their coding genes revealed an important set of candidate virulence factors. Our analyses also show that glycosyl hydrolases likely play important roles in trap formation of A. oligospora. The adhesins on the three-dimensional adhesive networks may have two functions: to enable the mycelia to stick to nematodes and to serve as important constituents of the extracellular matrix that harbors many secreted virulence related proteins. This study is the first to systematically identify cell wall related proteins that are important in the trap formation and infection of the fungus against nematode hosts.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Prof. Jianping Xu of Dept. Biology, McMaster University, and Prof. Chang Sun in our laboratory for valuable comments and critical discussion. The research described here is supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Program 973, grant no. 2013CB127500) and the National Natural Science Foundation Program of China (grant no. 31201565, 31272093), Research Fund for the Docoral Program of Higher Education of China (grant no. 20115301120007), the Department of Science and Technology of Yunnan Province, China (grant no.2011FB002), Yunnan University (grant no. 2010ZD002), China National Tobacco Corporation (grant no. 110201002023) and Yunnan Branch of China Tobacco Industrial Corporation (grant no. 2010YN17).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, and Key Laboratory for Microbial Resources of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650091, China

    Lianming Liang, Heng Wu, Zhiheng Liu, Renfei Shen, Hong Gao, Jinkui Yang & Keqin Zhang

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  1. Lianming Liang
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  2. Heng Wu
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  3. Zhiheng Liu
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  4. Renfei Shen
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  7. Keqin Zhang
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Correspondence to Keqin Zhang.

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L. Liang and H. Wu contributed equally to this work.

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Liang, L., Wu, H., Liu, Z. et al. Proteomic and transcriptional analyses of Arthrobotrys oligospora cell wall related proteins reveal complexity of fungal virulence against nematodes. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97, 8683–8692 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-5178-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-5178-1

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