Proteomic analysis of the inhibitory effect of chitosan on Penicillium expansum

Abstract The antimicrobial effect of chitosan on Penicillium expansum, a major postharvest pathogen of pome fruit, and the possible mechanisms involved in its effect were examined in this study. Chitosan strongly inhibited spore germination and hyphal growth of P. expansum. Light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that chitosan also caused morphological changes in hyphae and conidia, such as abnormal branching and vacuolation. Proteomic changes in P. expansum after chitosan treatment were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometr...