Question

What are differentially expressed proteins?

Answer 1

The protein expression profiles of the lymphoid organ, taken from mock and systemic Vibrio harveyi-infected Penaeus monodon at 6 and 48 h post infection, were revealed. The considerable changes in the expression level of several proteins were observed between the mock and V. harveyi-infected shrimps. From 30 analyzed protein spots with 27 differentially expressed, 21 were known proteins with the most common of these being cytoskeleton proteins (33%) which were all down-regulated upon systemic bacterial infection. Other six proteins including four proteins that are involved in the shrimp immunity (alpha-2-macroglobulin, transglutaminase, heat shock protein 1 and hemocyanin subunit Y), and two proteins that are involved in metabolism (triosephosphate isomerase) and cell signaling (14-3-3 like protein), displayed significantly decreased expression levels. There was, however, an increase in the expression level of the ATP synthase beta subunit, a protein involved in energy balance. Transcription levels of ATP synthase beta subunit and 14-3-3 like protein were up- and down-regulated, respectively, in accord with the observed protein expression levels, but the alpha-2-macroglobulin transcript levels were significantly increased in contrast to the decreased protein expression levels. Interestingly, partial gene silencing of ATP synthase beta subunit revealed a high cumulative mortality of the knockdown shrimps (73.3%) and a dramatic reduction of the total hemocyte numbers in the survival shrimps. These altered proteins are likely to play essential roles in shrimp defense against the pathogenic bacterium V. harveyi.