title: Altered proteomic polymorphisms in the caterpillar body and stroma of natural Cordyceps sinensis during maturation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the maturational changes in proteomic polymorphisms resulting from differential expression by multiple intrinsic fungi in the caterpillar body and stroma of natural Cordyceps sinensis (Cs), an integrated micro-ecosystem.
  
  
  METHODS
  The surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) biochip technique was used to profile the altered protein compositions in the caterpillar body and stroma of Cs during its maturation. The MS chromatograms were analyzed using density-weighted algorithms to examine the similarities and cluster relationships among the proteomic polymorphisms of the Cs compartments and the mycelial products Hirsutella sinensis (Hs) and Paecilomyces hepiali (Ph).
  
  
  RESULTS
  SELDI-TOF MS chromatograms displayed dynamic proteomic polymorphism alterations among samples from the different Cs compartments during maturation. More than 1,900 protein bands were analyzed using density-weighted ZUNIX similarity equations and clustering methods, revealing integral polymorphism similarities of 57.4% between the premature and mature stromata and 42.8% between the premature and mature caterpillar bodies. The across-compartment similarity was low, ranging from 10.0% to 18.4%. Consequently, each Cs compartment (i.e., the stroma and caterpillar body) formed a clustering clade, and the 2 clades formed a Cs cluster. The polymorphic similarities ranged from 0.51% to 1.04% between Hs and the Cs compartments and were 2.8- to 4.8-fold higher (1.92%-4.34%) between Ph and the Cs compartments. The Hs and Ph mycelial samples formed isolated clades outside of the Cs cluster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proteomic polymorphisms in the caterpillar body and stroma of Cs change dynamically during maturation. The proteomic polymorphisms in Hs and Ph differ from those in Cs, suggesting the presence of multiple Cs-associated fungi and multiple Ophiocordyceps sinensis genotypes with altered differential protein expression in the Cs compartments during maturation. In conjunction with prior mycological and molecular observations, the findings from this proteomic study support the integrated micro-ecosystem hypothesis for natural Cs.
authors.affiliation: Pharmanex Beijing Clinical Pharmacology Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Zi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Pharmanex Beijing Clinical Pharmacology Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Pharmanex Beijing Clinical Pharmacology Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Pharmanex Beijing Clinical Pharmacology Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Pharmanex Beijing Clinical Pharmacology Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Sang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Pharmanex Beijing Clinical Pharmacology Center, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ning-Zhi
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Shenzhen TCM Pharmacy and Molecular Pharmacology Kay Laboratory, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Luqun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Shenzhen TCM Pharmacy and Molecular Pharmacology Kay Laboratory, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; NS Center for Anti-Aging Research, Provo, UT, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jia-Shi
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D032661:Cordyceps / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005838:Genotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020543:Proteome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D020543:Proteome