Putative model based on iTRAQ proteomics for Spirulina morphogenesis mechanisms

The morphology of Spirulina during cultivation is susceptible to external interferences, but the morphogenesis mechanism is still unclear. Here the proteomic changes of linear Spirulina and spiral Spirulina were comparatively investigated via isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). Totally 165 and 167 differences in proteins expression were screened out from the TJSD2/TJSD3 and TJBC4-1/TJBC4-2 groups, respectively. Gene ontology and metabolic pathway analysis of differences in proteins expression uncovered the metabolic pathways (photosynthesis, carbon fixation, sugar metabolism) that were significantly enriched with the proteins correlated with Spirulina morphogenesis. The results of differences in proteins expression in metabolic pathway were verified by quantitative real-time PCR. We also built a putative model of Spirulina morphogenesis mechanism and thought multiple metabolic pathways interact and take part in Spirulina morphogenesis.