Proteomics in Metarhizium parasitism of arthropods

Abstract

Species of the genus Metarhizium are ecologically and biotechnologically relevant as they infect and control arthropods, which are often pests of livestock and crops. Fungi from the genus Metarhizium are important alternatives to chemical pesticides that are toxic to humans and animals as well as deleterious to the environment. The differential secretion of proteins, including proteases, chitinases, lipases, and oxidoreductases, is crucial to the effectiveness of the Metarhizium infection system against a wide range of arthropod targets. Proteomic techniques, such as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and different mass spectrometry approaches, have been employed to effectively identify hundreds of proteins linked to the infection of various insects and ticks, as well as proteins with different subcellular localization. Here, we review the status of proteomics applied to the Metarhizium genus to identify proteins important for infection, covering the biocontrol of various pests and specifying the techniques, experimental approaches, and identified proteins.