Abstract
Nitrogen (N) is an essential element usually limiting in plant growth and a basic factor for increasing the input cost in agriculture. To ensure the food security and environmental sustainability it is urgently required to manage the N fertilizer. The identification or development of genotypes with high nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE) which can grow efficiently and sustain yield in low N conditions is a possible solution. In this study, two isogenic rice genotypes i.e., wild-type rice kitaake and its transgenic line PP2C9TL overexpressed protein phosphatase gene (PP2C9) were used for comparative proteomics analysis at control and low level of N to identify specific proteins and encoding genes related to high NUE. 2D gel electrophoresis was used to perform the differential proteome analysis. In the leaf proteome, 30 protein spots were differentially expressed between the two isogenic lines under low N level which were involved in the process of energy, photosynthesis, N metabolism, signaling, and defense mechanisms. In addition, we have found that protein phosphatase enhances nitrate reductase activation by downregulation of SnRK1 and 14-3-3 proteins. Furthermore, we showed that PP2C9TL exhibits higher NUE than WT due to higher activity of nitrate reductase. This study provides new insights on the rice proteome which would be useful in the development of new strategies to increase NUE in cereal crops.
Highlights
The present capacity to provide food for the increasing global population is due to the green revolution, which is based on the adoption of semidwarf cereals with high yield
Two isogenic lines wild-type, kitaake, and PP2C9 transgenic line (PP2C9TL) overexpressing the protein phosphatase gene were used for comparative proteomics to identify candidate genes related with high nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE)
30 protein spots were differentially expressed between two genotypes under low N level, and mostly, the proteins were involved in energy and metabolism
Summary
The present capacity to provide food for the increasing global population is due to the green revolution, which is based on the adoption of semidwarf cereals with high yield. To achieve an increase in crop production depends on the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers [1,2,3]. Application of N fertilizer has become a key factor to improve the crop productivity. The extensive use of N fertilizers is causing harm to the soil as well as water bodies. Nitrogen leached from agricultural lands, in the form of nitrate causing eutrophication in rivers, lakes, and oceans, is decreasing aquatic diversity and damaging drinking water [4]. It is urgently required to limit or reduce the application of fertilizers without affecting crop production [5,6]. Asia uses 62.1% of the total nitrogenous fertilizers and China alone shares 18% of the Asian N consumption [8]. The remaining unutilized 60–70% of applied N causes severe health and environmental risks [9]
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