Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Membrane-associated fungal proteins mediate essential functions and contain bioactive proteins with therapeutic potential but are underrepresented in aqueous extracts due to hydrophobicity and lipid associations. Ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction was applied to Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), and the proteins were fractionated by molecular weight (≥30 kDa, 10–30 kDa, 3–10 kDa). Proteomic profiling using data-dependent (DDA) and data-independent (DIA) mass spectrometry identified 1500 and 1702 proteins, respectively (1% global FDR). Ultrasonication induced surface irregularity and a less compact, heterogeneous microstructure. Topology predictions showed higher proportions of transmembrane and secretory proteins in ultrasonicated fractions. Extraction preserved protein integrity (82% molecular-weight retention, 97% tryptic specificity, 26:1 stable-to-degraded ratio). The ≥30 kDa fraction was enriched for the endomembrane system and cytoskeletal components; the 10–30 kDa fraction captured mitochondrial respirasome and vacuolar V-ATPase complexes; the 3–10 kDa fraction contained mainly cytosolic proteins. Ultrasonication-unique proteins showed higher aromaticity, and abundant ≥ 30 kDa proteins displayed membrane-proximal characteristics.
Keywords
fungal proteomics, membrane proteins, ultrasonication
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
6-10-2026
ISSN
00218561
Volume
74
Issue
22
PubMed ID
42191649
Publication Title
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publisher
ACS
School
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science / School of Science / Centre of Crops and Horticultural Analytics for Nutrition and Climate Excellence
Funding Information
Edith Cowan University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
First Page
17627
Last Page
17642
Recommended Citation
Ahmed, T., Juhász, A., Bose, U., Terefe, N. S., & Colgrave, M. L. (2026). Proteomic evidence indicates ultrasound-assisted extraction enhances recovery of membrane-associated proteins in Hericium erinaceus. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 74(22), 17627–17642. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c05128