Abstract: 【Objective】 To investigate the proteins which are related to the sex differentiation, and lay a foundation for revealing the molecular mechanism of sex differentiation in Asparagus officinalis L. 【Method】 Differential proteins were analyzed in female flower buds, male flower buds and hermaphroditic flower buds at hermaphroditic differentiation stage by 2-D electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and bioinformatics method. 【Result】 Compared male and female flower buds, 25 specific protein spots and 5 up-regulated protein spots were detected in male flower buds, 13 specific protein spots and 12 up-regulated protein spots were detected in female flower buds. Compared with male flower buds, 19 specific protein spots and 8 up-regulated protein spots were detected in hermaphroditic flower buds. The proteins were identified by LC-MS-MS and analyzed through bioinformatics. Six specific or up-regulated homologous proteins of Asparagus were identified in male flower buds, including luminal binding protein (BiP) which promoted the synthesis of alpha amylase; beta-amylase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and cytosolic phosphoglycerate kinase which are all involved in the glycolytic pathway, PAP fibrillin which is associated with liposomes,Os02g0634900 which its function is unknown. There were 16 specific or up-regulated homologous proteins of Asparagus were identified in hermaphroditic and female flower buds, including enolase 1 and cytosolic phospho-glycerate kinase which are involved in the glycolytic pathway, actin isoform B and actin which maintained cell structure, ATP synthase CF1 alpha subunit and ATP synthase beta subunit which participated in energy metabolism; small GTP-binding protein and GTP-binding protein which participated in material transportation, ribosome inactivating protein RIPm which depressed protein synthesis, ADP-ribosylation factor which participated in material transportation and signal transduction, nucleoside diphosphate kinase which catalyzed phosphate group transfer, plastid-lipid-associated protein which participated in lipid metabolism, oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 1 which was related to photosynthesis, porin which allowed ions, sugars and amino acids across the outer membrane, intracellular pathogenesis-related protein isoform 4 and hypothetical protein which their functions are unknown.【Conclusion】Beta-amylase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, cytosolic phosphoglycerate kinase, luminal binding protein (BiP), PAP fibrillin and Os02g0634900 which are homologous proteins of Asparagus are related to the male organ development. Enolase 1, cytosolic phosphoglycerate kinase, actin isoform B, actin, ATP synthase CF1 alpha subunit, small GTP-binding protein, GTP-binding protein, ribosome inactivating protein RIPm, with strong similarity to ADP-ribosylation factor, nucleoside diphosphate kinase, plastid-lipid-associated protein, oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 1, porin and hypothetical protein which are homologous proteins of Asparagus, ATP synthase beta subunit and intracellular pathogenesis-related protein isoform 4 are related to the female organ development. Oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 1 and porin which are homologous proteins of Asparagus might be the key proteins of female organ’s development.

Key words: Asparagus officinalis, female flower buds, male flower buds, hermaphroditic flower buds, sex differentiation, differential proteins