Gel-based and gel-free identification of proteins and phosphopeptides during egg-to-larva transition in polychaete Neanthes arenaceodentata

The polychaete Neanthes arenaceodentata- is cosmopolitan in distribution-, has been used as a laboratory test animal. Life history of this species has several unique features; the female dies after spawning and the male incubates the fertilized eggs through the 21-segmented stage. The larvae leave the tube and commence feeding. Changes in protein abundance and phosphorylation were examined during early development of N. arenaceodentata. A gel-based approach and gel-free enrichment of phosphopeptides coupled with mass spectrometry were used to identify proteins and phosphopeptides in fertilized ova and larval stages. Patterns of proteins and phosphoproteins changed from fertilized ova to larval stages. Twelve proteins occurred in phosphorylated form and nine as stage specific proteins. Cytoskeletal proteins have exhibited differential phosphorylation from ova to larval stages; whereas, other proteins exhibited stage-specific phosphorylation patterns. Ten phosphopeptides were identified that showed phosphorylation sites on serine or threonine residues. Sixty percent of the identified proteins were related to structural reorganization and others with protein synthesis, stress response and attachment. The abundance and distribution of two cytoskeleton proteins were examined further by 2-DE Western blot analysis. This is the first report on changes in protein expression and phosphorylation sites at Thr/Ser in early development of N. arenaceodentata. The 2-DE proteome maps and identified phosphoproteins contributes toward understanding the state of fertilized ova and early larval stages and serves as a basis for further studies on proteomics changes under different developmental conditions in this and other polychaete species.