Protein expression changes in maize roots in response to humic substances.
Humic substances are known to affect plant metabolism at different levels. We characterized humic substances extracted from earthworm feces by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy and used them to treat corn, Zea mays L., seedlings to investigate changes in patterns of root protein expression. After root plasma membrane extraction and purification, proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and differential spot intensities were evaluated by image analysis. Finally, 42 differentially expressed proteins were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The majority of them were downregulated by the treatment with humic substances. The proteins identified included malate dehydrogenase, ATPases, cytoskeleton proteins, and different enzymes belonging to the glycolytic/gluconeogenic pathways and sucrose metabolism. The identification of factors involved in plant responses to humic substances may improve our understanding of plant-soil cross-talk, and enable a better management of soil resources.
Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Padua, Agripolis, Strada Romea, 16-35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy.
Paolo
P
Carletti
Antonio
A
Masi
Barbara
B
Spolaore
Patrizia
P
Polverino De Laureto
Mariangela
M
De Zorzi
Loris
L
Turetta
Massimo
M
Ferretti
Serenella
S
Nardi
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects*; D006812:Humic Substances; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D006812:Humic Substances; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020543:Proteome