Comparison of the mitochondrial proteomes of phosphine-susceptible and -resistant Tribolium castaneum

Various lines of evidence suggest that mitochondria might be the site of constitutive differences between coleopteran pests of stored products with and without resistance to the fumigant phosphine. In this study two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with Differential In-Gel Electrophoresis (DIGE) was used to compare soluble proteins from the mitochondria of phosphine-susceptible and -resistant Tribolium castaneum. Eighty-five spots were aligned across all nine gels and a further 111 across all but one gel. Each gel displayed the proteome from a susceptible strain, a resistant strain and a standard made by mixing aliquots from all experimental samples. No significant differences were observed between resistant strains and strains susceptible to phosphine. However, proteins of lower abundance and membrane proteins were not detected so important resistance-associated differences might yet be detected by more exhaustive techniques.