Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Despite its relevance, protein regulation, metabolic adjustment, and the physiological status of plants under drought is not well understood in relation to the role of nitrogen fixation in nodules. In this study, nodulated alfalfa plants were exposed to drought conditions. The study determined the p...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aranjuelo I, Molero G, Erice G, Avice, J.C., Nogués S
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Oxford University Press 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34898
_version_ 1855542374802915328
author Aranjuelo I
Molero G
Erice G
Avice, J.C.
Nogués S
author_browse Aranjuelo I
Avice, J.C.
Erice G
Molero G
Nogués S
author_facet Aranjuelo I
Molero G
Erice G
Avice, J.C.
Nogués S
author_sort Aranjuelo I
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Despite its relevance, protein regulation, metabolic adjustment, and the physiological status of plants under drought is not well understood in relation to the role of nitrogen fixation in nodules. In this study, nodulated alfalfa plants were exposed to drought conditions. The study determined the physiological, metabolic, and proteomic processes involved in photosynthetic inhibition in relation to the decrease in nitrogenase (Nase) activity. The deleterious effect of drought on alfalfa performance was targeted towards photosynthesis and Nase activity. At the leaf level, photosynthetic inhibition was mainly caused by the inhibition of Rubisco. The proteomic profile and physiological measurements revealed that the reduced carboxylation capacity of droughted plants was related to limitations in Rubisco protein content, activation state, and RuBP regeneration. Drought also decreased amino acid content such as asparagine, and glutamic acid, and Rubisco protein content indicating that N availability limitations were caused by Nase activity inhibition. In this context, drought induced the decrease in Rubisco binding protein content at the leaf level and proteases were up-regulated so as to degrade Rubisco protein. This degradation enabled the reallocation of the Rubisco-derived N to the synthesis of amino acids with osmoregulant capacity. Rubisco degradation under drought conditions was induced so as to remobilize Rubisco-derived N to compensate for the decrease in N associated with Nase inhibition. Metabolic analyses showed that droughted plants increased amino acid (proline, a major compound involved in osmotic regulation) and soluble sugar (D-pinitol) levels to contribute towards the decrease in osmotic potential (Ψs). At the nodule level, drought had an inhibitory effect on Nase activity. This decrease in Nase activity was not induced by substrate shortage, as reflected by an increase in total soluble sugars (TSS) in the nodules. Proline accumulation in the nodule could also be associated with an osmoregulatory response to drought and might function as a protective agent against ROS. In droughted nodules, the decrease in N2 fixation was caused by an increase in oxygen resistance that was induced in the nodule. This was a mechanism to avoid oxidative damage associated with reduced respiration activity and the consequent increase in oxygen content. This study highlighted that even though drought had a direct effect on leaves, the deleterious effects of drought on nodules also conditioned leaf responsiveness.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace34898
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2011
publishDateRange 2011
publishDateSort 2011
publisher Oxford University Press
publisherStr Oxford University Press
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace348982023-12-08T19:36:04Z Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Aranjuelo I Molero G Erice G Avice, J.C. Nogués S agriculture climate drought rubisco nitrogen fixation Despite its relevance, protein regulation, metabolic adjustment, and the physiological status of plants under drought is not well understood in relation to the role of nitrogen fixation in nodules. In this study, nodulated alfalfa plants were exposed to drought conditions. The study determined the physiological, metabolic, and proteomic processes involved in photosynthetic inhibition in relation to the decrease in nitrogenase (Nase) activity. The deleterious effect of drought on alfalfa performance was targeted towards photosynthesis and Nase activity. At the leaf level, photosynthetic inhibition was mainly caused by the inhibition of Rubisco. The proteomic profile and physiological measurements revealed that the reduced carboxylation capacity of droughted plants was related to limitations in Rubisco protein content, activation state, and RuBP regeneration. Drought also decreased amino acid content such as asparagine, and glutamic acid, and Rubisco protein content indicating that N availability limitations were caused by Nase activity inhibition. In this context, drought induced the decrease in Rubisco binding protein content at the leaf level and proteases were up-regulated so as to degrade Rubisco protein. This degradation enabled the reallocation of the Rubisco-derived N to the synthesis of amino acids with osmoregulant capacity. Rubisco degradation under drought conditions was induced so as to remobilize Rubisco-derived N to compensate for the decrease in N associated with Nase inhibition. Metabolic analyses showed that droughted plants increased amino acid (proline, a major compound involved in osmotic regulation) and soluble sugar (D-pinitol) levels to contribute towards the decrease in osmotic potential (Ψs). At the nodule level, drought had an inhibitory effect on Nase activity. This decrease in Nase activity was not induced by substrate shortage, as reflected by an increase in total soluble sugars (TSS) in the nodules. Proline accumulation in the nodule could also be associated with an osmoregulatory response to drought and might function as a protective agent against ROS. In droughted nodules, the decrease in N2 fixation was caused by an increase in oxygen resistance that was induced in the nodule. This was a mechanism to avoid oxidative damage associated with reduced respiration activity and the consequent increase in oxygen content. This study highlighted that even though drought had a direct effect on leaves, the deleterious effects of drought on nodules also conditioned leaf responsiveness. 2011-01 2014-02-19T07:59:16Z 2014-02-19T07:59:16Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34898 en Limited Access Oxford University Press Aranjuelo I, Molero G, Erice G, Avice JC, Nogués S. 2011. Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Journal of Experimental Botany 62(1): 111-23.
spellingShingle agriculture
climate
drought
rubisco
nitrogen fixation
Aranjuelo I
Molero G
Erice G
Avice, J.C.
Nogués S
Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
title Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
title_full Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
title_fullStr Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
title_full_unstemmed Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
title_short Plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)
title_sort plant physiology and proteomics reveals the leaf response to drought in alfalfa medicago sativa l
topic agriculture
climate
drought
rubisco
nitrogen fixation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34898
work_keys_str_mv AT aranjueloi plantphysiologyandproteomicsrevealstheleafresponsetodroughtinalfalfamedicagosatival
AT molerog plantphysiologyandproteomicsrevealstheleafresponsetodroughtinalfalfamedicagosatival
AT ericeg plantphysiologyandproteomicsrevealstheleafresponsetodroughtinalfalfamedicagosatival
AT avicejc plantphysiologyandproteomicsrevealstheleafresponsetodroughtinalfalfamedicagosatival
AT noguess plantphysiologyandproteomicsrevealstheleafresponsetodroughtinalfalfamedicagosatival