Protein phosphorylation plays a key role in the synthesis and degradation of dry seed storage proteins. In contrast, no evidence for phosphorylation has been reported to date in vegetative storage proteins (VSPs). The patatin multigene family encodes the major VSP of the potato, Solanum tuberosum L. This study addresses for the first time the identification and mapping of phosphorylated patatin forms based on high-resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) profiles. Patatin isoforms from mature tubers of cultivar Kennebec were separated by 2-DE and subsequently identified by tandem mass spectrometry. In-gel identification and mapping of phosphorylated isoforms were performed using the multiplex phosphoprotein-specific staining Pro-Q DPS. We found that phosphorylation is a ubiquitous post-translational protein modification associated with isoforms of patatin. In addition, protein dephosphorylation with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine coupled to 2-DE was used for quantitative profiling of phosphorylated patatin. This experimental approach showed that patatin comprises multiple isoforms with very different phosphorylation level. Thus, phosphorylation rates over isoforms ranged from 4.6 to 52.3%. Overall, the identification and mapping of differentially phosphorylated patatin opens up new exploratory ways to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying its mobilization along the tuber life cycle.

The role of the protein phosphorylation mechanism in the mobilization of vegetative storage proteins (VSPs) is totally unknown. Patatin is the major VSP of the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber that encompasses multiple differentially phosphorylated isoforms. In this study, temporal changes in the phosphorylation status of patatin isoforms and their involvement in patatin mobilization are investigated using phosphoproteomic methods based on targeted two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). High-resolution 2-DE profiles of patatin isoforms were obtained in four sequential tuber life cycle stages of Kennebec cultivar: endodormancy, bud break, sprouting and plant growth. In-gel multiplex identification of phosphorylated isoforms with Pro-Q Diamond phosphoprotein-specific stain revealed an increase in the number of phosphorylated isoforms after the tuber endodormancy stage. In addition, we found that the phosphorylation status of patatin isoforms significantly changed throughout the tuber life cycle (P < 0.05) using the chemical method of protein dephosphorylation with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine (HF-P) coupled to 2-DE. More specifically, patatin phosphorylation increased by 32% from endodormancy to the tuber sprouting stage and subsequently decreased together with patatin degradation. Patatin isoforms were not randomly mobilized because highly phosphorylated Kuras-isoforms were preferably degraded in comparison to less phosphorylated non-Kuras isoforms. These results lead us to conclude that patatin is mobilized by a mechanism dependent on the phosphorylation status of specific isoforms.

Patatin is the major tuber storage protein constituted by multiple isoforms highly variable across potato (S. tuberosum) varieties. Here, we report a first association study of the variability of patatin isoforms between cultivars with their differences in tuber quality traits. Patatin-based proteomic distances were assessed between 15 table and/or processing potato cultivars from profiles of patatin obtained by two-dimensional electrophoresis. The content of ash, dry matter, reducing sugars, starch, total protein, and amino acid composition was also evaluated in tubers of each cultivar. Results showed that proteomic distances were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with differences in the content of ash, dry matter, and essential amino acids. Proteomic distances were also able to identify outlier cultivars regarding the content of dry matter, content of protein, and protein quality. In conclusion, patatin-based proteomic distances can shorten the screening and selection processes of potato cultivars with advantageous characteristics in molecular breeding.

Breast anomalies in broilers, especially wooden breast (WB) and spaghetti meat (SM), cause high economic losses to the poultry meat sector. In order to identify the parameters that have a causal effect and to reduce the incidence of these myopathies, 141,792 broilers were analyzed in a total of 1477 batches using a visual grading system. The relationship among productive parameters such as the feed conversion ratio, live weight, growth rate, and mortality, was evaluated. Effects due to skin color (white vs. yellow), broiler sex (male, female, and mixed groups), feed presentation (grain vs. mash), and veterinary treatments (treated vs. untreated) were also included in the statistical study. Live weight was observed to have a significant effect (p < 0.001) on WB incidence, which increased by 1.11 for each 100 g of weight. Weight did not significantly affect the incidence of SM. Males had a higher incidence of WB and a lower incidence of SM than females. The incidence of both myopathies varied between samples that turned out to be significantly affected by some of the variables considered in the model, such as grain feeding and the feed conversion ratio. Controlling these factors in the broiler production could help to reduce the incidence of WB and SM.

La variedad de patata Fina de Carballo ha sido recientemente incluida en la IGP "Patata de Galicia". No obstante, su producción es actualmente muy escasa, circunstancia que acelera el empobrecimiento de los recursos genéticos de la variedad y pone en riesgo la viabilidad futura del cultivo. Este trabajo se plantea como un estudio comparativo de la variedad donde se han determinado aspectos productivos, evaluando las principales motivaciones que causan mermas de rendimiento. También se ha analizado su interés comercial, en base a su aptitud para la venta en fresco en comparación con otras variedades de uso frecuente en España. Los valores de producción bruta para Fina de Carballo fueron inferiores a los detectados en Agria y Kennebec. Se observaron altos porcentajes de tubérculos deformes en las muestras de Fina de Carballo, posiblemente como una consecuencia de la semilla de reempleo, mientras que no se detectaron afecciones por sarna plateada, ni podredumbres o tubérculos huecos. Entre sus atributos sensoriales más destacados se encuentran su sabor neutro y una consistencia mayor que la ofrecida por variedades como Daifla, Divaa, Frisia o Miranda. Las puntuaciones favorables en un estudio de consumidor reafirman la necesidad de continuar con ensayos orientados a la mejora genética de la semilla, así como a la permanencia y expansión de su cultivo.