Proteomic Analysis Reveals Differentially Expressed Proteins in Cordyceps militaris Cultured with Different Media

Cordyceps militaris is rich in high quality protein, which is an excellent protein supplement. In this study, proteins were extracted from C. militaris cultured with tussah pupa and C. militaris cultured with wheat and analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer. Results showed that a total of 83 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified. KEGG analysis showed that the number of DEPs involved in amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism and metabolic pathways was the largest. The expression levels of chitinase, tubulin alpha chain and heat shock 70 kDa protein were upregulated in C. militaris cultured with tussah pupa, and these key DEPs were mainly related to immune modulation and disease resistance. The results revealed the nutritional and functional differences in the fruiting bodies of C. militaris cultured with tussah pupa and wheat, respectively. The findings provide a theoretical basis for further studies on the biological function of proteins in C. militaris.