Revealing the differential protein profiles behind the nitrogen use efficiency in popcorn (Zea mays var. everta)

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 1521 - 13
• Main Authors: Khan, Shahid, Pinto, Vitor Batista, do Amaral Júnior, Antônio Teixeira, Gonçalves, Gabriel Moreno Bernardo, Corrêa, Caio Cézar Guedes, Ferreira, Fernando Rafael Alves, de Souza, Guilherme Augusto Rodrigues, Campostrini, Eliemar, Freitas, Marta Simone Mendonça, Vieira, Marlene Evangelista, de Oliveira Santos, Talles, de Lima, Valter Jário, Kamphorst, Samuel Henrique, do Amaral, José Francisco Teixeira, Mora-Poblete, Freddy, de Souza Filho, Gonçalo Apolinário, Silveira, Vanildo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 27.01.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/449/2661/2665; 631/449/711; Ascorbic acid; Biosynthesis; Carbohydrate metabolism; Efficiency; Energy metabolism; Energy shortages; Fructose-bisphosphate aldolase; Genetic improvement; Humanities and Social Sciences; Inbreeding; L-Ascorbate peroxidase; Metabolism; multidisciplinary; Nitrogen; Proteins; Proteomics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05545-9

We investigated the proteomic profiles of two popcorn inbred lines, P2 (N-efficient and N-responsive) and L80 (N-inefficient and nonresponsive to N), under low (10% of N supply) and high (100% of N supply) nitrogen environments, associated with agronomic- and physiological-related traits to NUE. The comparative proteomic analysis allowed the identification of 79 differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs) in the comparison of high/low N for P2 and 96 DAPs in the comparison of high/low N for L80. The NUE and N uptake efficiency (NUpE) presented high means in P2 in comparison to L80 at both N levels, but the NUE, NUpE, and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) rates decreased in P2 under a high N supply. DAPs involved in energy and carbohydrate metabolism suggested that N regulates enzymes of alternative pathways to adapt to energy shortages and that fructose-bisphosphate aldolase may act as one of the key primary nitrate responsive proteins in P2. Proteins related to ascorbate biosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism increased their regulation in P2, and the interaction of l -ascorbate peroxidase and Fd-NiR may play an important role in the NUE trait. Taken together, our results provide new insights into the proteomic changes taking place in contrasting inbred lines, providing useful information on the genetic improvement of NUE in popcorn.