Chitosan and grape secondary metabolites: A proteomics and metabolomics approach

Chitosan is a polysaccharide obtained by deacetylation of chitin, and it is involved in defence mechanisms of plants toward diseases. In the present work, V. vinifera L. cv. Ortrugo, grafted on 420A rootstock was grown in pot and treated, at veraison, by 0.03% chitosan solution at cluster level. Just before the treatment (T0) and 24 hours (T1), 48 hours (T2), 72 hours (T3) and 10 days (T4) later, the concentration of stilbenic compounds was detected, and at T1 proteomics and metabolomics analyses were done. Proteomics relies on the analysis of the complete set of proteins existing in a given substrate, while metabolomics relies on the analyses of the complete set of metabolites in a given substrate. The treatment improved the stilbene concentration over the control at T1. Proteomic analysis showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) were overexpressed in the treated grapes. SOD is known to be an enzyme active against reactive oxygen species (ROS) while PAL is a key enzyme in the phenylpropanoids pathway. Metabolomics analysis highlighted the positive role of the treatment in improving the triperpenoid concentration (betulin, erythrodiol, uvaol, oleanolate); these compounds are known to be effective against microbes, insects and fungi.