Proteome Analysis of Cold Response in Spring and Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Crowns Reveals Similarities in Stress Adaptation and Differences in Regulatory Processes between the Growth Habits

Abstract

A proteomic response to cold treatment (4 °C) has been studied in crowns of a frost-tolerant winter wheat cultivar Samanta and a frost-sensitive spring wheat cultivar Sandra after short-term (3 days) and long-term (21 days) cold treatments. Densitometric analysis of 2-D differential in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) gels has resulted in the detection of 386 differentially abundant protein spots, which reveal at least a two-fold change between experimental variants. Of these, 58 representative protein spots have been selected for MALDI-TOF/TOF identification, and 36 proteins have been identified. The identified proteins with an increased relative abundance upon cold in both growth habits include proteins involved in carbohydrate catabolism (glycolysis enzymes), redox metabolism (thioredoxin-dependent peroxidase), chaperones, as well as defense-related proteins (protein revealing similarity to thaumatin). Proteins exhibiting a cold-induced increase in the winter cultivar include proteins involved in regulation of stress response and development (germin E, lectin VER2), while proteins showing a cold-induced increase in the spring cultivar include proteins involved in restoration of cell division and plant growth (eIF5A2, glycine-rich RNA-binding protein, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase). These results provide new insights into cold acclimation in spring and winter wheat at the proteome level and enrich our previous work aimed at phytohormone dynamics in the same plant material.

Low temperature tolerance in plants: Changes at the protein level

“…Accordingly, the involvement of RNA-binding proteins in the process of cold acclimation has been clearly demonstrated in plants by proteomics (Kosová et al, 2011). In particular, a group of RNA-binding proteins containing a glycine-rich region at their C-terminus, thus referred to as glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins, has been implicated in the regulation of LT stress response (Kosová et al, 2013a) and can be considered as a promising LT tolerance marker. Under LT stress, biosynthesis of free and proteinogenic amino acids can be significantly affected as well.…”

“…Cold acclimation is an active, energy-demanding process and the required energy seems to be provided by the up-regulation of carbohydrate catabolic reactions and concomitant down-regulation of some anabolic reactions (Kosová et al, 2013a). Proteome analysis of the winter wheat crown after long-term cold-acclimation treatment showed a decrease in some enzymes catalyzing the synthesis of UDP-glucose.…”

“…Comparison of the LT proteome response of a frost-tolerant winter wheat cultivar with a frost-sensitive spring cultivar revealed that the changes in protein abundance are largely different (Kosová et al, 2013a). In fact, LT treatment in hardy winter wheat with a long vernalization requirement increased the abundance of germin E and lectin VER2 proteins, both involved in the regulation of stress response and development, while in the spring cultivar (without vernalization requirement) the majority of LT-induced proteins included those involved in restoration of cell division and plant growth.…”

Identification of Winter-Responsive Proteins in Bread Wheat Using Proteomics Analysis and Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS)

“…ATP-dependent synthases/proteases play essential roles in controlling the availability of short-lived regulatory proteins, as well as in removing abnormal or damaged proteins; these enzymes play a critical role in the removal of damaged proteins and in the fine control of some key cellular components, combining peptidase and chaperone activities (61). After short-term (3 days) and long-term (21 days) cold treatments in wheat, the plants showed increased ATP biosynthesis (62). Overexpression of the ATP synthase gene in the transgenic Arabidopsis caused an increased resistance to salt, drought, and cold stresses (63).…”

Translating the Genome for Translational Research: Proteomics in Agriculture

“…Proteins with higher abundance in the winter cultivar were observed to be involved in the regulation of stress response and development. Meanwhile in the spring cultivar, proteins involved in the restoration of cell division and plant growth were observed to be of higher abundance (Kosová et al 2013 ). High temperature shortened the developmental programme of the endosperm of wheat without altering its sequential steps.…”