Effects of ethylenediurea (EDU) on apoplast and chloroplast proteome in two wheat varieties under high ambient ozone: an approach to investigate EDU's mode of action

Rising tropospheric ozone (O-3) is a serious threat to plants and animals in the present climate change scenario. High tropospheric O-3 has the capability to disrupt cellular organelles leading to impaired photosynthesis and significant yield reduction. Apoplast and chloroplast are two important cellular components in a plant system. Their proteomic response with ethylenediurea (EDU) treatment under tropospheric O-3 has not been explored till date. EDU (an organic compound) protects plants exclusively against harmful O-3 effects through activation of antioxidant defense mechanism. The present study investigated the mode of action of EDU (hereafter MAE) by identifying proteins involved in apoplast and chloroplast pathways. Two wheat varieties viz. Kundan and PBW 343 (hereafter K and P respectively) and three EDU treatments (0= control, 200, and 300 ppm) have been used for the study. In apoplast isolates, proteins such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), amino methyltransferase, catalase, and Germin-like protein have shown active role by maintaining antioxidant defense system under EDU treatment. Differential expression of these proteins leads to enhanced antioxidative defense mechanisms inside and outside the cell. Chloroplast proteins such as Rubisco, Ferredoxin NADP- reductase (FNR), fructose,1-6 bis phosphatase (FBPase), ATP synthase, vacuolar proton ATPase, and chaperonin have regulated their abundance to minimize ozone stress under EDU treatment. After analyzing apoplast and chloroplast protein abundance, we have drawn a schematic representation of the MAE working mechanism. The present study showed that plants can be capable of O-3 tolerance, which could be improved by optimizing the apoplast ROS pool under EDU treatment.

Automated summary

This study investigated the proteomic response in apoplast and chloroplast pathways of wheat varieties under ethylenediurea (EDU) treatment to tropospheric ozone (O-3). The results show that EDU activates antioxidant defense mechanisms and regulates protein abundance to minimize ozone stress. Plants can develop O-3 tolerance by optimizing the apoplast ROS pool under EDU treatment.