The Membrane Proteome of the Corona and Pharynx of the Rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

Rotifers are small multicellular zooplankton that can be cultured at a very high population density. Rotifers have a ciliated region called the corona surrounding the entrance to a specialized pharynx and jaw that supports suspension feeding, suggesting potential for development of a model organism for studies of gustatory receptors (GRs). The recently sequenced genome of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis provided support data for this project, permitting a proteomic analysis of the corona and pharynx. The membrane proteome of the B. plicatilis corona and pharynx was analyzed through cell surface biotinylation and isolation, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and peptide identification by mass spectrometry. Although no peptides were found matching B. plicatilis GRs, many clinically relevant proteins were identified. The proteomic data collected in this study provides groundwork to further investigate the function of surface enzymes in B. plicatilis feeding.