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Proteome analysis of fungal and bacterial involvement in leaf litter decomposition
Author(s) -
Schneider Thomas,
Gerrits Bertran,
Gassmann Regula,
Schmid Emanuel,
Gessner Mark O.,
Richter Andreas,
Battin Tom,
Eberl Leo,
Riedel Kathrin
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
proteomics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.26
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1615-9861
pISSN - 1615-9853
DOI - 10.1002/pmic.200900691
Subject(s) - aspergillus nidulans , biology , bacteria , proteome , fungus , microbiology and biotechnology , pectobacterium carotovorum , exoenzyme , botany , biochemistry , pathogen , mutant , gene , genetics
Fungi and bacteria are key players in the decomposition of leaf litter, but their individual contributions to the process and their interactions are still poorly known. We combined semi‐quantitative proteome analyses (1‐D PAGE‐LC‐MS/MS) with qualitative and quantitative analyses of extracellular degradative enzyme activities to unravel the respective roles of a fungus and a bacterium during litter decomposition. Two model organisms, a mesophilic Gram‐negative bacterium ( Pectobacterium carotovorum ) and an ascomycete ( Aspergillus nidulans) , were grown in both, pure culture and co‐culture on minimal medium containing either glucose or beech leaf litter as sole carbon source. P. carotovorum grew best in co‐culture with the fungus, whereas growth of A. nidulans was significantly reduced when the bacterium was present. This observation suggests that P. carotovorum has only limited capabilities to degrade leaf litter and profits from the degradation products of A. nidulans at the expense of fungal growth. In accordance with this interpretation, our proteome analysis revealed that most of the extracellular biodegradative enzymes ( i.e. proteases, pectinases, and cellulases) in the cultures with beech litter were expressed by the fungus, the bacterium producing only low levels of pectinases.