title: Nitrogen-Deficiency Stress Induces Protein Expression Differentially in Low-N Tolerant and Low-N Sensitive Maize Genotypes.
abstract: Nitrogen (N) is essential for proper plant growth and its application has proven to be critical for agricultural produce. However, for unavoidable economic and environmental problems associated with excessive use of N-fertilizers, it is an urgent demand to manage application of fertilizers. Improving the N-use efficiency (NUE) of crop plants to sustain productivity even at low N levels is the possible solution. In the present investigation, contrasting low-N sensitive (HM-4) and low-N tolerant (PEHM-2) genotypes were identified and used for comparative proteome-profiling of leaves under optimum and low N as well as restoration of low N on 3rd (NR3) and 5th (NR5) days after re-supplying N. The analysis of differential expression pattern of proteins was performed by 2-D gel electrophoresis. Significant variations in the expression of proteins were observed under low N, which were genotype specific. In the leaf proteome, 25 spots were influenced by N treatment and four spots were different between the two genotypes. Most of the proteins that were differentially accumulated in response to N level and were involved in photosynthesis and metabolism, affirming the relationship between N and carbon metabolism. In addition to this, greater intensity of some defense proteins in the low N tolerant genotype was found that may have a possible role in imparting it tolerance under N starvation conditions. The new insights generated on maize proteome in response to N-starvation and restoration would be useful toward improvement of NUE in maize.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Jamia Hamdard New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Muslima
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nazir
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant Physiology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Jamia Hamdard New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Tariq O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Siddiqi
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, Science College, King Saud UniversityRiyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria UniversityAlexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Mohammad I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Conservation and Utilization of Blue Green Algae, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: Division of Plant Physiology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Krishnapriya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vengavasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh, India.
authors.forename: Altaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
keywords: 2DE; Zea mays; nitrogen stress; nitrogen use efficiency; proteome