Plant–Microbe Symbiosis: What Has Proteomics Taught Us?

Beneficial microbes have a positive impact on the productivity and fitness of the host plant. A better understanding of the biological impacts and underlying mechanisms by which the host derives these benefits will help to address concerns around global food production and security. The recent development of omics‐based technologies has broadened our understanding of the molecular aspects of beneficial plant–microbe symbiosis. Specifically, proteomics has led to the identification and characterization of several novel symbiosis‐specific and symbiosis‐related proteins and post‐translational modifications that play a critical role in mediating symbiotic plant–microbe interactions and have helped assess the underlying molecular aspects of the symbiotic relationship. Integration of proteomic data with other “omics” data can provide valuable information to assess hypotheses regarding the underlying mechanism of symbiosis and help define the factors affecting the outcome of symbiosis. Herein, an update is provided on the current and potential applications of symbiosis‐based “omic” approaches to dissect different aspects of symbiotic plant interactions. The application of proteomics, metaproteomics, and secretomics as enabling approaches for the functional analysis of plant‐associated microbial communities is also discussed.     

First record and redescription of the terrestrial isopod Hemilepistoides messerianus Borutzky, 1945 (Isopoda,Oniscidea) from Iran

In the present study, Hemilepistoides messerianus Borutzky, 1945 is reported from Iran for the first time. This species is redescribed and diagnostic characters of both males and females are illustrated. This species is characterized by the tuberculation of all parts of the dorsal surface of the body and the male pleopod endopodite I with a triangular lobe at apex. A map with the distribution of species is presented.     

Synergistic effect of coronatine and sorbitol on artemisinin production in cell suspension culture of Artemisia annua L. cv. Anamed

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) - Artemisinin is an efficient anti-malarial drug and it possesses biological activity against a wide range of cancers. The combined application of two...     

A product inhibition study on adenosine deaminase by spectroscopy and calorimetry

Kinetic and thermodynamic studies have been made on the effect of the inosine product on the activity of adenosine deaminase in a 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.5, at 27 degrees C using UV spectrophotometry and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). A competitive inhibition was observed for inosine as a product of the enzymatic reaction. A graphical-fitting method was used for determination of the binding constant and enthalpy of inhibitor binding by using isothermal titration microcalorimetry data. The dissociation-binding constant is equal to 140 microM by the microcalorimetry method, which agrees well with the value of 143 microM for the inhibition constant that was obtained from the spectroscopy method     

Proteomic analysis of the Mexican lime tree response to "Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia" infection

"Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia" is the causative agent of witches' broom disease in the Mexican lime tree (Citrus aurantifolia L.), and is responsible for major tree losses in Southern Iran and Oman. The pathogen is strictly biotrophic, and, therefore, completely dependent on living host cells for its survival. The molecular basis of compatibility and disease development in this system is poorly understood. We applied a proteomics approach to analyse gene expression in Mexican limes infected with "Ca. Phytoplasma aurantifolia". Leaf samples were collected from healthy and infected plants and were analysed using 2-DE coupled with MS. Among 800 leaf proteins that were detected reproducibly in eight biological replicates of healthy and eight biological replicates of infected plants, 55 showed a significant response to the disease. MS resulted in identification of 39 regulated proteins, which included proteins that were involved in oxidative stress defence, photosynthesis, metabolism, and the stress response. Our results provide the first proteomic view of the molecular basis of the infection process and identify genes that could help inhibit the effects of the pathogen.