A Proteomic View of Truffles: Aspects of Primary Metabolism and Molecular Processes During Their Life Cycle

Abstract

Proteins are responsible for an endless number of tasks within the cell. The whole set of proteins in a cell, the proteome, is highly dynamic and it changes from time to time in response to different environmental stimuli. The Tuber spp. proteomic assets have been widely studied for the past 20 years through various strategies, such as purification of proteins from biological sources and heterologous expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotic cells. Several proteins have been characterized in the different phases of the life cycle in the most important Tuber species in terms of agronomics and economics. In particular, the availability of study models led the researchers to study especially Tuber borchii, while the complete genome sequencing provided several information to study in depth Tuber melanosporum; on the contrary, Tuber magnatum is not cultivable in lab, so the studies were focused only on ascomata. Studies have focused also on the characterization of several metabolic pathways involved in the realization of its life cycle: in the vegetative life as it expands into the soil, during the formation of mycorrhizae and essential for the symbiosis instauration and during the development of the precious and edible carpophore. Herein we review some of the most interesting results that report the characterization of specific proteins and of metabolic pathways that are useful to develop a better understanding of Tuber life cycle.