Identification of major responding proteins of abnormal leaf and flower in soybean with an integrative “omics” strategy

Abstract

Proteomics has been utilized as an effective approach to link phenotype and genome sequence, but effective strategies need to be explored to find target gene(s) from a great number of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Here, we present an integrated approach employing a range of methods and software tools including phenomics, proteomics, genomics and metabolomics to identify key responding proteins of the abnormal leaf and flower (alf) gene. The results showed alf involved in an extensively regulatory network among different pathways according to the proteomic and metabolomic profile of the alf near-isogenic lines. GLUTAMATE-1-SEMIALDEHYDE2,1-AMINOMUTASE (GSA) and PEPTIDYL-PROLYL CIS–TRANS ISOMERASE (PIN) located on the same region of ALF/alf locus were identified as key responding factors. Their functions from annotation are consistent to the performance of leaf shape and chlorophyll content of the alf mutant. The present study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the integrative “omics” strategy in improving detection of target gene(s).