Understanding the mechanisms of chilling injury in bell pepper fruits using the proteomic approach.
In order to advance in the understanding of CI in pepper fruits, the cell ultrastructure alterations induced by CI and the physiological and metabolic changes have been studied along with the proteomic study. When stored at low temperatures bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) fruits exhibited visual CI symptoms and important alterations within the cell ultrastructure, since peroxisomes and starch grains were not detected and the structure of the chloroplast was seriously damaged in chilled tissues. Physiological and metabolic disorders were also observed in chilled fruits, such as higher ethylene production, increased MDA content, changes in sugar and organic acids and enzymatic activities. The comparative proteomic analysis between control and chilled fruits reveals that the main alterations induced by CI in bell pepper fruits are linked to redox homeostasis and carbohydrate metabolism. Thus, protein abundance in the ascorbate-glutathione cycle is altered and catalase is down-regulated. Key proteins from glycolysis, Calvin cycle and Krebs cycle are also inhibited in chilled fruits. Enolase and GAPDH are revealed as proteins that may play a key role in the development of chilling injury. This study also provides the first evidence at the protein level that cytosolic MDH is involved in abiotic stress.
Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CEBAS-CSIC), Campus de Espinardo, P.O. Box 164, E-30100 Espinardo-Murcia, Spain. palomasb@cebas.csic.es
Paloma
P
Sánchez-Bel
Isabel
I
Egea
María Teresa
MT
Sánchez-Ballesta
Concepción
C
Martinez-Madrid
Nieves
N
Fernandez-Garcia
Félix
F
Romojaro
Enrique
E
Olmos
Emilio
E
Estrella
Maria C
MC
Bolarín
Francisco Borja
FB
Flores
D002212:Capsicum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008954:Models, Biological; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology
D010940:Plant Proteins; D020543:Proteome