Abstract: Objective To explore the effects of low temperature stress on protein expression in Culex pipiens pallens. Methods Two-dimensional electrophoresis was performed to compare the differences in protein expression profiles of Cx. pipiens pallens after low temperature treatment using indoor bred Cx. pipiens pallens as control. Results The protein concentration was 8. 5 μg / μL and 4. 76 μg / uL respectively for the treatment group and the control group, and the difference was significant (P<0. 05). Two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis revealed a total of 77 2-fold differential protein spots, in which up-regulated expression was seen in 30 protein spots, and down-regulation was observed in another 47 protein spots in low temperature treatment group. Fourteen unique protein spots were detected in the low temperature treatment group, with molecular weight ranging from 25 to 60 kDa. A total of 25 differentially expressed proteins were identified, mainly re- lated to cytoskeleton remodeling, carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, and various synthases and metabolic en- zymes. Conclusion Low temperature treatment can induce changes in protein expression in Cx. pipiens pallens. Further analysis of the differential proteins may be promising to obtain antifreeze proteins from Cx. pipiens pallens.

Key words: Culex pipiens pallens Coquillett, Low temperaturestress, Two-dimensional electrophoresis, Mass spectrometry