Quantitative proteomic analysis of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) salt response

Salt stress is one of most serious limiting factors for crop growth and production. An isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation (iTRAQ) approach was used to analyze proteomic changes in rice shoots under salt stress in this study. A total of 56 proteins were significantly altered and 16 of them were enriched in the pathways of photosynthesis, antioxidant and oxidative phosphorylation. Among these 16 proteins, peroxiredoxin Q and photosystem I subunit D were up-regulated, while thioredoxin M-like, thioredoxin x, thioredoxin peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase F3, PSI subunit H, light-harvesting antenna complex I subunits, chloroplast chaperonin, vacuolar ATP synthase subunit H, and ATP synthase delta chain were down-regulated. Moreover, physiological data including total antioxidant capacity, peroxiredoxin activity, chlorophyll a/b content, glutathione S-transferase activity, reduced glutathione content and ATPase activity were consistent with changes in the levels of these proteins. The levels of the mRNAs encoding these proteins were also analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and approximately 86% of the results were consistent with the iTRAQ data. Importantly, our data suggest the important role of PSI in balancing energy supply and ROS generation under salt stress. This study provides information for an improved understanding of the function of photosynthesis and PSI in the salt-stress response of rice.