Abstract: 【Aim】 The aim of this study is to analyze and compare the composition and expression difference of proteins in the fore- and midgut and the hindgut including gut contents of Tsaitermes ampliceps workers, and then to excavate the enzymes and proteins that can degrade lignocellulose. 【Methods】 By two-dimensional electrophoresis of the proteins in the fore- and midgut and the hindgut including gut contents of T. ampliceps workers, 47 protein spots with high expression or high expression difference were sequenced by MALDI-TOF/MS and subjected to bioinformatics analysis. 【Results】 The sequence analysis showed that there are 13 structural proteins, 9 regulatory proteins, 10 termite metabolism-related proteins and 7 microbial metabolism-related proteins in the gut and gut content proteins of T. ampliceps. The PD Quest analysis showed that 11 proteins were highly expressed in both the fore- and midgut and the hindgut, 12 proteins mainly related to metabolism and belonging to regulatory proteins were expressed only in the fore- and midgut, and 8 proteins mainly related to microbial metabolism were expressed only in the hindgut. There are five enzymes involved in the degradation of lignocellulose in all the gut proteins, including endogenous cellulase secreted by termites themselves, endo-β-1,4-glucanase and peroxidase produced by bacteria, and GH11 produced by protozoans. 【Conclusion】 The degradation of lignocellulosic food is mainly in the fore- and midgut, and the further degradation of the degraded products and the metabolism of the products for microbial growth are mainly in the hindgut. The degraded products and bacterial proteins provide nutrients for anal feeding of termites.

Key words: Tsaitermes ampliceps, gut, differentially expressed proteins, lignocellulose, two-dimensional electrophoresis, MALDI-TOF/MS