toxins Article Differentiating Two Closely Related Alexandrium Species Using Comparative Quantitative Proteomics Bryan John J. Subong 1,2,* , Arturo O. Lluisma 1, Rhodora V. Azanza 1 and Lilibeth A. Salvador-Reyes 1,* 1 Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines- Diliman, Velasquez Street, Quezon City 1101, Philippines;
[email protected] (A.O.L.);
[email protected] (R.V.A.) 2 Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan * Correspondence:
[email protected] (B.J.J.S.);
[email protected] (L.A.S.-R.) Abstract: Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamutum are two closely related harmful algal bloom (HAB)-causing species with different toxicity. Using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantita- tion (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomics and two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE), a comprehensive characterization of the proteomes of A. minutum and A. tamutum was performed to identify the cellular and molecular underpinnings for the dissimilarity between these two species. A total of 1436 proteins and 420 protein spots were identified using iTRAQ-based proteomics and 2D-DIGE, respectively. Both methods revealed little difference (10–12%) between the proteomes of A. minutum and A. tamutum, highlighting that these organisms follow similar cellular and biological processes at the exponential stage. Toxin biosynthetic enzymes were present in both organisms. However, the gonyautoxin-producing A. minutum showed higher levels of osmotic growth proteins, Zn-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase and type-I polyketide synthase compared to the non-toxic A. tamutum. Further, A. tamutum had increased S-adenosylmethionine transferase that may potentially have a negative feedback mechanism to toxin biosynthesis.