Biochemical Mapping of Unveils Molecular Underpinnings Behind Organismal Processes

Proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates from the harmful algal bloom (HAB)-causing organism were characterized to obtain insights into the biochemical processes in this environmentally relevant dinoflagellate. Shotgun proteomics using label-free quantitation followed by proteome mapping using the transcriptome and translated protein databases of , sp., , and for annotation enabled the characterization of the proteins in . The highest number of annotated hits were obtained from and highlighted the contribution of microorganisms associated with . Proteins involved in dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) degradation such as propionyl CoA synthethase and acryloyl-CoA reductase were identified, suggesting the DMSP cleavage pathway as the preferred route in this dinoflagellate. Most of the annotated proteins were involved in amino acid biosynthesis and carbohydrate degradation and metabolism, indicating the active roles of these molecules in the vegetative stage of . This characterization provides baseline information on the cellular machinery and the molecular basis of the ecophysiology of .