The influence of temperature on plant development in a vernalization-requiring winter wheat: A 2-DE based proteomic investigation Sara Rinalducci a, 1 , Maria Giulia Egidi a, 1 , Siroos Mahfoozi b , Sodabeh Jahanbakhsh Godehkahriz c , Lello Zolla a, ⁎ a Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy b Department of Cereals Research, Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, PO Box 31585–4119, Karaj, Tehran, Iran c Agronomy and Plant Breeding Department, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, PO Box 179, Ardabil, Iran ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Received 28 November 2010 Accepted 2 February 2011 Available online 12 February 2011 In this work, proteomics was used to study the influence of both optimal and low temperatures on growth and development in a vernalization-requiring winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Cheyenne) after prolonged times of treatment. For this purpose, plants were grown at optimal temperature (20 °C) for 14 days (zero point) after which half were transferred to conditioned chambers kept at 4 °C for a period of 63 days. Cold tolerance, as estimated from lethal temperatures (LT 50 ), and phenological development, as measured by final leaf number (FLN) and shoot apex dissection, were determined. Proteomic analysis indicated a down-accumulation of several photosynthesis-related proteins and a concomitant increase in abundance of some Calvin cycle enzymes. A cold-induced accretion of soluble sugars and proline was observed as well. In parallel, an increase of proteolysis accomplished by an up-modulation of TCA cycle enzymes was also noticed, probably suggesting an efficient recycling of amino acids as energy source. Proteomic analysis of plants grown at optimal temperature allowed to specifically discriminate cold- induced proteins and highlight molecular processes driven by vernalization. Among identified proteins typically involved in vernalization responses and floral transition we observed a marked increase of wrab17, wcor18 and glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Cheyenne winter wheat Prolonged cold exposure LT 50 Phenological development Proteomics Vernalization 1. Introduction Although the influence of temperature varies during wheat developmental phases [1], its action remains crucial through- out the whole plant life cycle [2]. A temperature between 17 and 23 °C is generally recognized as the optimum range for wheat vegetative growth, whereas 0 and 37 °C are considered the minimum and maximum tolerable limits, respectively. On the other hand, the plant ability in adjusting to extreme tempera- tures has been widely recognized [3]. Triticum aestivum L., JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS 74 (2011) 643 – 659 Abbreviations: CNN, Cheyenne winter wheat; COR, cold-related; FBA, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase; FLC, flowering locus C; FLN, final leaf number; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GR-RBP, glycine-rich RNA binding protein; LEA, late embryogenesis abundant; LT, low temperature; LT 50 , lethal temperature at which 50% of plants died; OEE, oxygen evolving enhancer protein; PGK, phosphoglycerate kinase; PMSR, peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase; PPFD, photosynthetic photon flux density; PRK, phosphoribulokinase; RT, room temperature; RuBisCO, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase. ⁎ Corresponding author. Fax: +39 0761 357179. E-mail address: zolla@unitus.it (L. Zolla). 1 These authors contributed equally to the work and share the first authorship. 1874-3919/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jprot.2011.02.005 available at www.sciencedirect.com www.elsevier.com/locate/jprot