Quantitative proteomics provides an insight into germination-related proteins in the plant pathogenic fungi Phomopsis vexans

Phomopsis vexans is a phytopathogenic fungus that causes Phomopsis blight of eggplant. Because spore germination is required for infection, preventing it may be a viable approach to disease management. The proteome during the conversion of spores to mycelium was analyzed in the current study to gain more insight into this process. A total of 3337 proteins were discovered and functionally classified. There were 929 proteins with significant fold changes (P value <= 0.05, Fold change > 2) among them. which were grouped into 6 clusters based on their relative expression similarities. Sphingolipid metabolism, Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor biosynthesis, Riboflavin metabolism, and Glutathione metabolism were found to be significantly upregulated during the germ tube emerging stage, according to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. Proteins in these pathways may be important in spore germination and may be antifungal targets. In addition, eight potential effectors were discovered. This is the first report on proteomic analysis of Phomopsis vexans spore germination. It can aid in understanding the mechanisms of host invasion and shed light on Phomopsis vexans control.