A quantitative proteomic approach to highlight Phragmites sp. adaptation mechanisms to chemical stress induced by a...

Phragmites sp. is present worldwide in treatment wetlands though the mechanisms involved in the phytoremediation remain unclear. In this study a quantitative proteomic approach was used to study the prompt response and adaptation of Phragmites to the textile dyeing pollutant, Acid Orange 7 (AO7). Previously, it was demonstrated that AO7 could be successfully removed from wastewater and mineralized in a constructed wetland planted with Phragmites sp. This azo dye is readily taken up by roots and transported to the plant aerial part by the xylem. Phragmites leaf samples were collected from a pilot scale vertical flow constructed wetland after 0.25, 3.25 and 24.25h exposure to AO7 (400mgL^-1) immediately after a watering cycle used as control. Leaf soluble protein extraction yielded an average of 1560 proteins in a broad pI range (pH3-10) by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A time course comparative analysis of leaf proteome revealed that 40 proteins had a differential abundance compared to control (p<0.05) within a 3.25h period. After 24.25h in contact with AO7, leaf proteome was similar to control. Adaptation to AO7 involved proteins related with cellular signalling (calreticulin, Ras-related protein Rab11D and 20S proteasome), energy production and conversion (adenosine triphosphate synthase beta subunit) carbohydrate transport and metabolism (phosphoglucose isomerase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, frutockinase-1 and Hypothetical protein POPTR_0003s12000g and the Uncharacterized protein LOC100272772) and photosynthesis (sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase and ferredoxin-NADP⁺ reductase). Therefore, the quantitative proteomic approach used in this work indicates that mechanisms associated with stress cell signalling, energy production, carbohydrate transport and metabolism as well as proteins related with photosynthesis are key players in the initial chemical stress response in the phytoremediation process of AO7.