Root apex proteome response to cadmium and copper stress during the early maize seedling growth

LB PENA; CL MATAYOSHI; ESTESO M; M PAVONI; NM GOMEZ MANSUR; GALLEGO SM

Mendoza

Congreso; LVIII SAIB; 2022

SAIB

Metal progressive increase in the environment because of the sustained anthropogenic pollution threatens cultivable regions. To cope with this adverse condition, plants adjust their metabolism and reprogram their growth. We focus our work on studying the effects of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) in the root of Zea mays L. (maize) seedlings. Herein, proteomic analysis of the root growth zone (first 5 mm of the apex) is presented. Uniformly germinated seeds were transferred to a hydroponic culture containing 250 mL of diluted (1/10) Hoagland’s nutrient solution without (C) or with 50 µM CdCl2 and CuCl2; 30 seedlings per tray. Plants were grown in a controlled climate room at 24 ± 2 °C with 50% relative humidity, and trials were carried out in darkness to mimic soil conditions during germination and post-germinative growth. Protein extracts were obtained from the root apex. Three independent experiments were performed. Protein digestion and mass spectrometry analysis were conducted at the Proteomics Core Facility CEQUIBIEM (UBA-CONICET). Data were processed using Proteome Discoverer software. Protein identities were assigned taking the maize Uniprot protein database as the reference (UP000007305). Perseus software was used to perform comparisons among samples, area values, and statistical tests. A total of 2271 different proteins were detected. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for all aliquot pairs using the normalized abundance after a log2 transformation. Correlation analysis indicates high assay reproducibility. Principal component analysis revealed that C, Cu, and Cd clustered separately. Samples shared up to 90% of identified proteins. Proteins whose abundance varied significantly (p