Proteomics: An Essential Tool to Study Plant-Specialized Metabolism
María José Martínez-Esteso,
Jaime Morante-Carriel,
Antonio Samper-Herrero,
Ascensión Martínez-Márquez,
Susana Sellés-Marchart,
Hugo Nájera,
Roque Bru-Martínez
Affiliations
María José Martínez-Esteso
Plant Proteomics and Functional Genomics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Soil and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
Jaime Morante-Carriel
Plant Proteomics and Functional Genomics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Soil and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
Antonio Samper-Herrero
Plant Proteomics and Functional Genomics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Soil and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
Ascensión Martínez-Márquez
Plant Proteomics and Functional Genomics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Soil and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
Susana Sellés-Marchart
Plant Proteomics and Functional Genomics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Soil and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
Hugo Nájera
Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana–Cuajimalpa, Av. Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Colonia Santa Fe Cuajimalpa, Alcaldía Cuajimalpa de Morelos, Mexico City 05348, Mexico
Roque Bru-Martínez
Plant Proteomics and Functional Genomics Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Soil and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
Plants are a valuable source of specialized metabolites that provide a plethora of therapeutic applications. They are natural defenses that plants use to adapt and respond to their changing environment. Decoding their biosynthetic pathways and understanding how specialized plant metabolites (SPMs) respond to biotic or abiotic stress will provide vital knowledge for plant biology research and its application for the future sustainable production of many SPMs of interest. Here, we focus on the proteomic approaches and strategies that help with the study of plant-specialized metabolism, including the: (i) discovery of key enzymes and the clarification of their biosynthetic pathways; (ii) study of the interconnection of both primary (providers of carbon and energy for SPM production) and specialized (secondary) metabolism; (iii) study of plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress; (iv) study of the regulatory mechanisms that direct their biosynthetic pathways. Proteomics, as exemplified in this review by the many studies performed to date, is a powerful tool that forms part of omics-driven research. The proteomes analysis provides an additional unique level of information, which is absent from any other omics studies. Thus, an integrative analysis, considered versus a single omics analysis, moves us more closely toward a closer interpretation of real cellular processes. Finally, this work highlights advanced proteomic technologies with immediate applications in the field.
