iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis reveals changes in response to sodium nitroprusside treatment in soybean sprouts

In recent years, nitric oxide (NO) has been considered a plant signaling compound involved in antioxidant systems and flavonoid production enhancement. Nevertheless, its mechanism of action, from the perspective of protein expression, remains largely unknown. In this study, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) was employed to investigate NO donor sodium nitroprusside treatment-induced proteomic changes in soybean sprouts. Among the 3033 proteins identified, compared with the control, sodium nitroprusside treatment up- and down-regulated 256 proteins. These proteins were involved in antioxidant system pathways, such as the thioredoxin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways, including allene oxide synthase and lipoxygenase. In addition, heat shock proteins (HSPs) and flavonoid biosynthetic proteins, such as cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, chalcone isomerase, chalcone synthase, isoflavone synthase and isoflavone reductase, were also modulated in response to sodium nitroprusside treatment.