Abstract: Proteins extracted from the cortex of fungiinfected nutritive corms and non infected secondary corms of Gastrodia elata were separated by two dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) with immobilized pH gradients (IPG).Reference maps were obtained with a good reproducibility. Approximately 900 proteins per 2-DE gel were isolated with molecular weights ranging 12-97kD and pI 3-10.The spots showed a symmetric shape indicating a good resolution in both electrophoresis dimensions.Five proteins of high levels observed in a secondary corm gel were excised and identified using peptide mass fingerprinting and matrixassisted laser desorption ionization timeof flight mass spectrometry.A summary of the identified proteins and their putative functions are presented.One of them,spot no.4 is identified as a RNA binding protein involved in transcription.Technical details concerning database queries and protein identification success rates in the absence of a sequenced genome are reported and discussed.Parameters for sample preparation are critically investigated.

Key words: Gastrodia elata