Comparative Tandem Mass Tag-Based Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Tachaea chinensis Isopod During Parasitism

• Published in: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology Vol. 9; p. 350
• Main Authors: Li, Yingdong, Li, Xin, Han, Zhibin, Xu, Weibin, Li, Xiaodong, Chen, Qijun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 11.10.2019
• Subjects: blood-sucking; Cellular and Infection Microbiology; comparative proteomic; during parasitism; isopod parasite; Tachaea chinensis; blood-sucking; during parasitism; isopod parasite; Tachaea chinensis; comparative proteomic
• ISSN: 2235-2988; 2235-2988
• DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00350

Parasitic isopods perforate and attach to the host integument via the mandibles and then feed on hemolymph and exudate from the wounds. Such isopods attack a variety of commercially important fish and crustacean hosts. Similar to other hematophagous parasites, isopods may also employ biomolecules that affect host blood conglutination and defense systems. In the present study, a tandem mass tag-based quantitative proteomic approach was used to identify differentially expressed proteins in parasites of shrimp, by comparing parasitic (fed) and pre-parasitic (unfed) individuals. We identified 888 proteins from a total of 1,510 peptides, with a significant difference in 129 between the fed and unfed groups. Among these, 37 were upregulated and 92 were downregulated in unfed . This indicates that may require more energy before parasitism during its search for a host. In addition, as is the case for other blood-sucking parasites, it might secrete antihemostatic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory molecules to facilitate blood meal acquisition. To our knowledge, this study is the first to use a TMT-based proteomic approach to analyze the proteome of isopod parasites, and the results will facilitate our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of isopod parasitism on crustaceans.