Proteomic Basis of Drought Tolerance in Chickpea

Abstract

In this study our aim was to identify differentially expressed proteins in root and leaf samples of the drought tolerant chickpea cultivar Gokce using proteomics approaches. For this aim we carried out 2D gel electrophoresis from total proteome extracts of root and leaf samples of Gokce cultivar from drought treated and control samples. In root 2D gels we obtained approximately 430 proteins; 14 of them were newly formed and 4 of them were disappeared in drought stress. Also we obtained 12 over-expressed protein and 4 down-regulated spot as a result of drought stress. In leaf 2D gels we obtained approximately 450 proteins 4 of them were newly formed spots, and 3 of them were disappeared in drought stress. For these samples we obtained 24 over-expressed proteins and 17 down-regulated proteins in drought stress. We identified differentially expressed proteins in MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer via peptide mass fingerprinting. Identified proteins are zinc finger (C2H2 type, AN1-like) family protein, pathogenesis-related family protein, STRS2 (STRESS RESPONSE SUPPRESSOR 2), 26S proteasome non-ATPase regulatory subunit 3, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein, RABB1C (ARABIDOPSIS RAB GTPASE HOMOLOG B1C); serine hydroxymethyltransferase, fiddlehead protein, aluminum-activated malate transporter, phloem protein 2-A8, ribosomal protein L30 family protein, N-rich protein with known function and we identified 14 hypothetical proteins with unknown function. Identified proteins are WRKY DNA-binding protein 6, myb family transcription factor, porin family protein, pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein and transmembrane protein and 2 hypothetical proteins with unknown function.