Label-free based comparative proteomic analysis of Morchella importuna development from the vegetative to the sexual reproductive stages

Abstract

Morchella spp. are well-known and economically valuable edible mushrooms. The molecular mechanism of development in Morchella fungi is poorly understood, although it can be artificially cultivated. In this paper, the intracellular proteomes of three vegetative growth stages (mycelial, sclerotial initiation and maturation) and two sexual reproductive growth stages (young and mature ascocarp) of M. importuna were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. A total of 2060 credible proteins were identified. Label-free quantitative analysis showed that, consistent with physiological development, the number of differentially expressed proteins increased, which were mainly enriched in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways by GO and KAAS enrichment analysis. Besides, the categories for upregulated proteins enriched in were more in sexual reproduction stage, especially in the young ascocarp stage, than those in the vegetative growth stage, including aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, histidine, peroxisome, beta-alanine metabolism, etc. In addition, the expression pattern of individual protein (top-20) suggested that the most abundant lectin protein (8.92%) played an important role in the development of M. importuna . This study comprehensively analyzed the whole developmental process of M. importuna at the proteome level, which may help us to better understand its nutrition metabolism and fruiting body development. • Intracellular proteomes of five developmental stages of M. importuna were analyzed. • Three velvet proteins were found and up-regulated in sexual reproductive stages. • A lectin protein (8.92%) was the most abundant and differentially expressed. • An abundant Woronin body major protein (3.02%) was differentially expressed.