Application of High-Resolution Nano-Scale Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry to the Study of S. endobioticum-induced Infection In Cultivated Potatoes

Potato wart is an infection of cultivated potato plants caused by the soil-borne biotrophic fungus Synchitrium endobioticum. The main symptoms of infection are formation of warts on the tuber tissue and the production of biflagellated mobile spores that undergo long-lasting dormancy periods. Genomic studies have significantly contributed to an overall understanding of the fungal life cycle, including the discovery of the first S. endobioticum avirulence genes, and the identification of multiple pathotypes. However, the molecular pathways involved in host-pathogen interactions during potato wart infection and the factors contributing to resistance in plants remain unknown. In this work, a combination of proteomic analysis and protein structure analysis resulted in the discovery of protein classes associated with immune response-based changes post-infection. Comparative proteomics of four potato varieties highlighted the differences in resistance between groups. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments led to detection of interaction partners of recombinant AvrSen1 protein, providing insight into its localization and functions.