Proteomics analysis of Fusarium proliferatum under various initial pH during fumonisin production

Fusarium proliferatum as a fungal pathogen can produce fumonisin which causes a great threat to animal and human health. Proteomic approach was a useful tool for investigation into mycotoxin biosynthesis in fungal pathogens. In this study, we analyzed the fumonisin content and mycelium proteins of Fusarium proliferatum cultivated under the initial pH5 and 10. Fumonisin production after 10days was significantly induced in culture condition at pH10 than pH5. Ninety nine significantly differently accumulated protein spots under the two pH conditions were detected using two dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 89 of these proteins were successfully identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF and LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. Among these 89 proteins, 45 were up-regulated at pH10 while 44 were up-accumulated at pH5. At pH10, these proteins were found to involve in the modification of fumonisin backbone including up-regulated polyketide synthase, cytochrome P450, S-adenosylmethionine synthase and O-methyltransferase, which might contribute to the induction of fumonisin production. At pH5, these up-regulated proteins such as l-amino-acid oxidase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and citrate lyase might inhibit the condensation of fumonisin backbone, resulting in reduced production of fumonisins. These results may help us to understand the molecular mechanism of the fumonisin synthesis in F. proliferatum.

Biological significance: To extend our understanding of the mechanism of the fumonisin biosynthesis of F. proliferatum, we reported the fumonisin production in relation to the differential proteins of F. proliferatum mycelium under two pH culture conditions. Among these 89 identified spots, 45 were up-accumulated at pH10 while 44 were up-accumulated at pH5. Our results revealed that increased fumonisin production at pH10 might be related to the induction of fumonisin biosynthesis caused by up-regulation of polyketide synthase, cytochrome P450, S-adenosylmethionine synthase and O-methyltransferase. Meanwhile, the up-regulation of l-amino-acid oxidase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and citrate lyase at pH5 might be related to the inhibition of the condensation of fumonisin backbone, resulting in reduced production of fumonisin. These results may help us to understand better the molecular mechanism of the fumonisin synthesis in F. proliferatum and then broaden the current knowledge of the mechanism of the fumonisin biosynthesis.