Physiological, biochemical and proteomics analysis reveals the adaptation strategies of the alpine plant Potentilla saundersiana at altitude gradient of the Northwestern Tibetan Plateau

Published Date

1 January 2015, Vol.112:63–82, doi:10.1016/j.jprot.2014.08.009

Title 

Physiological, biochemical and proteomics analysis reveals the adaptation strategies of the alpine plant Potentilla saundersiana at altitude gradient of the Northwestern Tibetan Plateau

• Author 

• Lan Ma ^a,b,c,
• Xudong Sun ^a,b,d,
• Xiangxiang Kong ^a,b,c,
• Jose Valero Galvan ^e,
• Xiong Li^a,b,c,
• Shihai Yang ^c,d,
• Yunqiang Yang ^a,b,c,
• Yongping Yang ^a,b,d,,
• Xiangyang Hu ^a,b,d,,

• aKey Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
• bPlant Germplasm and Genomics Center, the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
• cUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
• dKey Laboratory of Alpine Ecology and Biodiversity, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
• eDepartment of Chemistry-Biology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico

Received 23 April 2014. Accepted 17 August 2014. Available online 30 August 2014.

Highlights

• •
  Comparative proteomic analysis of P. saundersiana at five different altitudes
• •
  Antioxidant activity and primary metabolites in alpine plant adaptation
• •
  Epigenetic regulation and post-translational modification in alpine plant adaptation
• •
  Root architecture and leaf phenotype difference in alpine plant adaptation

Abstract

This study presents an analysis of leave and rood morphology, biochemical and proteomics approach as adaptation strategies of the alpine plant Potentilla saundersiana in an altitude gradient. Several plant physiological parameter, including root and leaf architecture, leaf photosynthesis capacity, specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf nitrogen concentration, histology and microscopy, anthocyanin and proline contents, antioxidant enzyme activity assay, in-gel enzyme activity staining, H₂O₂ and O₂⁻ content, immunoblotting, auxin and strigolactone content and proteomics analysis were evaluated at five different altitudes. P. saundersiana modulated the root architecture and leaf phenotype to enhance adaptation to alpine environmental stress through mechanisms that involved hormone synthesis and signal transduction, particularly the cross-talk between auxin and strigolactone. Furthermore, an increase of antioxidant proteins and primary metabolites as a response to the alpine environment in P. saundersiana was observed. Proteins associated with the epigenetic regulation of DNA stability and post-translational protein degradation was also involved in this process. Based on these findings, P. saundersiana uses multiple strategies to adapt to the high-altitude environment of the Alpine region.

Biological significance

The alpine environment, which is characterized by sharp temperature shifts, high levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure, and low oxygen content, limits plant growth and distribution. Alpine plants have evolved strategies to survive the extremely harsh conditions prevailing at high altitudes; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The alpine plant Potentilla saundersiana is widespread in the Northwestern Tibetan Plateau. Here we adopted a comparative proteomics approach to investigate the mechanisms by which P. saundersiana withstands the alpine environment by examining plants located at five different altitudes. We detected and functionally characterized 118 proteins spots with variable abundance. Proteins involved in antioxidant activity, primary metabolites, epigenetic regulation, and protein post-translational modification play important roles in conferring tolerance to alpine environments. Furthermore, our results indicate that P. saundersiana modulates the root architecture and leaf phenotype to enhance adaptation to alpine environmental stress. These results provide novel insight into the multiple strategies underlying P. saundersiana adaptation to the high-altitude environment of the Northwestern Tibetan Plateau.

Graphical abstract

This study investigated the adaptation of the alpine plant Potentilla saundersiana to the altitude gradient in the Northwestern Tibetan Plateau. Our proteomics and physiological data demonstrated that P. saundersiana uses multiple strategies to adapt to alpine environmental stress, including 1) modulating root architecture, leaf phenotype, photosynthesis capability, and cell wall structure; 2) regulating primary and secondary metabolites (such as sugar, proline, and flavones) and plant hormone synthesis; 3) activating downstream defense response and antioxidant enzyme activities; and 4) initiating novel proteasome- or autophagy-mediated protein degradation mechanisms. Therefore, we conclude that the alpine plant P. saundersiana evolved multiple strategies to adapt to environmental stress at high altitudes.

Keywords

• Comparative proteomics
• Potentilla saundersiana
• Adaptation

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• ⁎ 
  Correspondence to: Y. Yang, Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China. Tel.: + 86 871 65223234; fax: + 86 871 83533234.
• ⁎⁎ 
  Correspondence to: X. Hu, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China. Tel.: + 86 871 65223069; fax: + 86 871 835376671.

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