Identification of stress defensive proteins in common wheat-Thinopyron intermedium translocation line YW642 developing grains via comparative proteome analysis

Abstract

Thinopyrum intermedium (2n = 6x = 42, E₁E₁E₂E₂XX) serves as an important gene source of desirable traits for genetic improvement of wheat cultivars resistant to stresses. This study used the comparative proteomic approach to identify stress defense related proteins in the developing grains of common wheat (Zhongmai 8601)-Thinopyron intermedium 7XL/7DS translocation line YW642 and to explore their potential values for improving wheat stress resistance. Two-dimensional electrophoresis identified 124 differentially accumulated protein spots representing 100 unique proteins, which mainly participated in stress defense, energy metabolism, protein metabolism and folding and storage protein synthesis. Among these, 16 were unique and 35 were upregulated in YW642. The upregulated DAPs were mainly involved in biotic and abiotic stress defense. Further cis-elements analysis of these stress-related DAP genes revealed that phytohormone responsive elements such as ABREs, G-box, CGTCA-motif and TGACG-motif, and environment responsive element As-1 were particularly abundant, which could play important roles in response to various stressors. Transcription expression analysis by RNA-seq and qRT-PCR demonstrated a large part of the stress-related DAP genes showed an upregulated expression in the early-to-middle stages of grain development. Our results proved that Thinopyron intermedium contains abundant stress responsive proteins that have potential values for the genetic improvement of wheat stress resistance.