Studies on the molecular mechanism of antagonistic yeasts to control apple postharvest diseases are not comprehensive enough. Our preliminary investigations screened the biocontrol effect of Hannaella sinensis, an antagonistic yeast, and discovered its control efficacy on apple blue mold decay. However, the molecular mechanism of H. sinensis-induced resistance in apple has not been studied. In this study, proteins from apple treated with H. sinensis and sterile saline were analyzed using TMT proteomics technology. It was found that H. sinensis treatment induced the expressions of apple resistance-related proteins. Among the proteins in H. sinensis-induced apple, proteins related to plant defense mechanisms, such as reactive oxygen species scavenging, improvement of plant resistance and synthesis of resistant substances, improvement of plant disease resistance, the degradation of the pathogen cell wall, cell signaling, antibacterial activity, transport of defense-related substances, and protein processing, were differentially regulated. The results of this study revealed the underlying molecular mechanisms of H. sinensis-induced apple resistance at the protein level; the results also provided a theoretical basis for the commercial application of H. sinensis.
Keywords: Hannaella sinensis; apple; proteomics; resistance.