Dynamic light- and acetate-dependent regulation of the proteome and lysine acetylome of Chlamydomonas

Global Profiling of Protein Phosphorylation, Acetylation, and β-Hydroxybutyrylation in Nannochloropsis oceanica

Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) regulate protein functions but remain poorly characterized in Nannochloropsis. This study examined three PTMs: lysine acetylation (Kac), lysine β-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb), and phosphorylation. Using LC-MS/MS, we identified 4571 Kac sites, 7812 Kbhb sites, and 6237 phosphorylation sites across 2455, 3109, and 2786 proteins, respectively. Subcellular localization analysis revealed significant overlaps between Kac and Kbhb proteins, primarily in the chloroplast, cytosol, and nucleus, while phosphorylated proteins were predominantly located in the nucleus and chloroplast. Motif analysis highlighted specific amino acid enrichments around modification sites, with several motifs conserved. Additionally, 529 proteins harbored all three PTMs, underscoring the potential regulatory interplay. Kac, Kbhb, and phosphorylated proteins were particularly abundant in glycolysis, the TCA cycle, carbon fixation, and lipid metabolism pathways, influencing energy production and lipid accumulation. Based on previous transcriptome data under nutrient-limited conditions, these frequently modified key enzymes appear to be vital components in the response to abiotic stress. The presence of histone modifications related to Kac and Kbhb might also point to the epigenetic regulation in gene expression and stress adaptation. This comprehensive PTM landscape in N. oceanica provides a foundation of valuable insights into future metabolic engineering and biotechnological applications.

Detection and editing of the updated Arabidopsis plastid- and mitochondrial-encoded proteomes through PeptideAtlas

Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ecotype Col-0 has plastid and mitochondrial genomes encoding over 100 proteins. Public databases (e.g. Araport11) have redundancy and discrepancies in gene identifiers for these organelle-encoded proteins. RNA editing results in changes to specific amino acid residues or creation of start and stop codons for many of these proteins, but the impact of RNA editing at the protein level is largely unexplored due to the complexities of detection. Here, we assembled the nonredundant set of identifiers, their correct protein sequences, and 452 predicted nonsynonymous editing sites of which 56 are edited at lower frequency. We then determined accumulation of edited and/or unedited proteoforms by searching ∼259 million raw tandem MS spectra from ProteomeXchange, which is part of PeptideAtlas (www.peptideatlas.org/builds/arabidopsis/). We identified all mitochondrial proteins and all except 3 plastid-encoded proteins (NdhG/Ndh6, PsbM, and Rps16), but no proteins predicted from the 4 ORFs were identified. We suggest that Rps16 and 3 of the ORFs are pseudogenes. Detection frequencies for each edit site and type of edit (e.g. S to L/F) were determined at the protein level, cross-referenced against the metadata (e.g. tissue), and evaluated for technical detection challenges. We detected 167 predicted edit sites at the proteome level. Minor frequency sites were edited at low frequency at the protein level except for cytochrome C biogenesis 382 at residue 124 (Ccb382-124). Major frequency sites (>50% editing of RNA) only accumulated in edited form (>98% to 100% edited) at the protein level, with the exception of Rpl5-22. We conclude that RNA editing for major editing sites is required for stable protein accumulation.

Detection of the Arabidopsis Proteome and Its Post-translational Modifications and the Nature of the Unobserved (Dark) Proteome in PeptideAtlas

This study describes a new release of the Arabidopsis thaliana PeptideAtlas proteomics resource (build 2023-10) providing protein sequence coverage, matched mass spectrometry (MS) spectra, selected post-translational modifications (PTMs), and metadata. 70 million MS/MS spectra were matched to the Araport11 annotation, identifying ∼0.6 million unique peptides and 18,267 proteins at the highest confidence level and 3396 lower confidence proteins, together representing 78.6% of the predicted proteome. Additional identified proteins not predicted in Araport11 should be considered for the next Arabidopsis genome annotation. This release identified 5198 phosphorylated proteins, 668 ubiquitinated proteins, 3050 N-terminally acetylated proteins, and 864 lysine-acetylated proteins and mapped their PTM sites. MS support was lacking for 21.4% (5896 proteins) of the predicted Araport11 proteome: the "dark" proteome. This dark proteome is highly enriched for E3 ligases, transcription factors, and for certain (e.g., CLE, IDA, PSY) but not other (e.g., THIONIN, CAP) signaling peptides families. A machine learning model trained on RNA expression data and protein properties predicts the probability that proteins will be detected. The model aids in discovery of proteins with short half-life (e.g., SIG1,3 and ERF-VII TFs) and for developing strategies to identify the missing proteins. PeptideAtlas is linked to TAIR, tracks in JBrowse, and several other community proteomics resources.

The interplay of post-translational protein modifications in Arabidopsis leaves during photosynthesis induction

Diurnal dark to light transition causes profound physiological changes in plant metabolism. These changes require distinct modes of regulation as a unique feature of photosynthetic lifestyle. The activities of several key metabolic enzymes are regulated by light-dependent post-translational modifications (PTM) and have been studied at depth at the level of individual proteins. In contrast, a global picture of the light-dependent PTMome dynamics is lacking, leaving the response of a large proportion of cellular function undefined. Here, we investigated the light-dependent metabolome and proteome changes in Arabidopsis rosettes in a time resolved manner to dissect their kinetic interplay, focusing on phosphorylation, lysine acetylation, and cysteine-based redox switches. Of over 24 000 PTM sites that were detected, more than 1700 were changed during the transition from dark to light. While the first changes, as measured 5 min after onset of illumination, occurred mainly in the chloroplasts, PTM changes at proteins in other compartments coincided with the full activation of the Calvin-Benson cycle and the synthesis of sugars at later timepoints. Our data reveal connections between metabolism and PTM-based regulation throughout the cell. The comprehensive multiome profiling analysis provides unique insight into the extent by which photosynthesis reprograms global cell function and adds a powerful resource for the dissection of diverse cellular processes in the context of photosynthetic function.

Mapping the Arabidopsis thaliana proteome in PeptideAtlas and the nature of the unobserved (dark) proteome; strategies towards a complete proteome

This study describes a new release of the Arabidopsis thaliana PeptideAtlas proteomics resource providing protein sequence coverage, matched mass spectrometry (MS) spectra, selected PTMs, and metadata. 70 million MS/MS spectra were matched to the Araport11 annotation, identifying ∼0.6 million unique peptides and 18267 proteins at the highest confidence level and 3396 lower confidence proteins, together representing 78.6% of the predicted proteome. Additional identified proteins not predicted in Araport11 should be considered for building the next Arabidopsis genome annotation. This release identified 5198 phosphorylated proteins, 668 ubiquitinated proteins, 3050 N-terminally acetylated proteins and 864 lysine-acetylated proteins and mapped their PTM sites. MS support was lacking for 21.4% (5896 proteins) of the predicted Araport11 proteome - the 'dark' proteome. This dark proteome is highly enriched for certain ( e.g. CLE, CEP, IDA, PSY) but not other ( e.g. THIONIN, CAP,) signaling peptides families, E3 ligases, TFs, and other proteins with unfavorable physicochemical properties. A machine learning model trained on RNA expression data and protein properties predicts the probability for proteins to be detected. The model aids in discovery of proteins with short-half life ( e.g. SIG1,3 and ERF-VII TFs) and completing the proteome. PeptideAtlas is linked to TAIR, JBrowse, PPDB, SUBA, UniProtKB and Plant PTM Viewer.

Proteome-wide lysine acetylation profiling to investigate the involvement of histone deacetylase HDA5 in the salt stress response of Arabidopsis leaves

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins play important roles in the acclimation of plants to environmental stress. Lysine acetylation is a dynamic and reversible PTM, which can be removed by histone deacetylases. Here we investigated the role of lysine acetylation in the response of Arabidopsis leaves to 1 week of salt stress. A quantitative mass spectrometry analysis revealed an increase in lysine acetylation of several proteins from cytosol and plastids, which was accompanied by altered histone deacetylase activities in the salt-treated leaves. While activities of HDA14 and HDA15 were decreased upon salt stress, HDA5 showed a mild and HDA19 a strong increase in activity. Since HDA5 is a cytosolic-nuclear enzyme from the class II histone deacetylase family with yet unknown protein substrates, we performed a lysine acetylome analysis on hda5 mutants and characterized its substrate proteins. Next to histone H2B, the salt stress-responsive transcription factor GT2L and the dehydration-related protein ERD7 were identified as HDA5 substrates. In addition, in protein-protein interaction studies, HDA18 was discovered, among other interacting proteins, to work in a complex together with HDA5. Altogether, this study revealed the substrate proteins of HDA5 and identified new lysine acetylation sites which are hyperacetylated upon salt stress. The identification of specific histone deacetylase substrate proteins, apart from histones, will be important to unravel the acclimation response of Arabidopsis to salt stress and their role in plant physiology.

Proteome-wide analyses reveal diverse functions of protein acetylation and succinylation modifications in fast growing stolons of bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.)

BACKGROUND

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) is an important warm-season turfgrass species with well-developed stolons, which lay the foundation for the fast propagation of bermudagrass plants through asexual clonal growth. However, the growth and development of bermudagrass stolons are still poorly understood at the molecular level.

RESULTS

In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the acetylation and succinylation modifications of proteins in fast-growing stolons of the bermudagrass cultivar Yangjiang. A total of 4657 lysine acetylation sites on 1914 proteins and 226 lysine succinylation sites on 128 proteins were successfully identified using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. Furthermore, 78 proteins and 81 lysine sites were found to be both acetylated and succinylated. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that acetylated proteins regulate diverse reactions of carbohydrate metabolism and protein turnover, whereas succinylated proteins mainly regulate the citrate cycle. These results partly explained the different growth disturbances of bermudagrass stolons under treatment with sodium butyrate and sodium malonate, which interfere with protein acetylation and succinylation, respectively. Moreover, 140 acetylated proteins and 42 succinylated proteins were further characterized having similarly modified orthologs in other grass species. Site-specific mutations combined with enzymatic activity assays indicated that the conserved acetylation of catalase and succinylation of malate dehydrogenase both inhibited their activities, further implying important regulatory roles of the two modifications.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our study implied that lysine acetylation and succinylation of proteins possibly play important regulatory roles in the fast growth of bermudagrass stolons. The results not only provide new insights into clonal growth of bermudagrass but also offer a rich resource for functional analyses of protein lysine acetylation and succinylation in plants.

Lysine acetylation regulates moonlighting activity of the E2 subunit of the chloroplast pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in Chlamydomonas

The dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase subunit DLA2 of the chloroplast pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (cpPDC) in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has previously been shown to possess moonlighting activity in chloroplast gene expression. Under mixotrophic growth conditions, DLA2 forms part of a ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) with the psbA mRNA that encodes the D1 protein of the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center. Here, we report on the characterization of the molecular switch that regulates shuttling of DLA2 between its functions in carbon metabolism and D1 synthesis. Determination of RNA-binding affinities by microscale thermophoresis demonstrated that the E3-binding domain (E3BD) of DLA2 mediates psbA-specific RNA recognition. Analyses of cpPDC formation and activity, as well as RNP complex formation, showed that acetylation of a single lysine residue (K197) in E3BD induces the release of DLA2 from the cpPDC, and its functional shift towards RNA binding. Moreover, Förster resonance energy transfer microscopy revealed that psbA mRNA/DLA2 complexes localize around the chloroplast's pyrenoid. Pulse labeling and D1 re-accumulation after induced PSII degradation strongly suggest that DLA2 is important for D1 synthesis during de novo PSII biogenesis.

Light-Dependence of Formate (C1) and Acetate (C2) Transport and Oxidation in Poplar Trees

Although apparent light inhibition of leaf day respiration is a widespread reported phenomenon, the mechanisms involved, including utilization of alternate respiratory pathways and substrates and light inhibition of TCA cycle enzymes are under active investigation. Recently, acetate fermentation was highlighted as a key drought survival strategy mediated through protein acetylation and jasmonate signaling. Here, we evaluate the light-dependence of acetate transport and assimilation in Populus trichocarpa trees using the dynamic xylem solution injection (DXSI) method developed here for continuous studies of C1 and C2 organic acid transport and light-dependent metabolism. Over 7 days, 1.0 L of [¹³C]formate and [¹³C₂]acetate solutions were delivered to the stem base of 2-year old potted poplar trees, while continuous diurnal observations were made in the canopy of CO₂, H₂O, and isoprene gas exchange together with δ¹³CO₂. Stem base injection of 10 mM [¹³C₂]acetate induced an overall pattern of canopy branch headspace ¹³CO₂ enrichment (δ¹³CO₂ +27‰) with a diurnal structure in δ¹³CO₂ reaching a mid-day minimum followed by a maximum shortly after darkening where δ¹³CO₂ values rapidly increased up to +12‰. In contrast, 50 mM injections of [¹³C]formate were required to reach similar δ¹³CO₂ enrichment levels in the canopy with δ¹³CO₂ following diurnal patterns of transpiration. Illuminated leaves of detached poplar branches pretreated with 10 mM [¹³C₂]acetate showed lower δ¹³CO₂ (+20‰) compared to leaves treated with 10 mM [¹³C]formate (+320‰), the opposite pattern observed at the whole plant scale. Following dark/light cycles at the leaf-scale, rapid, strong, and reversible enhancements in headspace δ¹³CO₂ by up to +60‰ were observed in [¹³C₂]acetate-treated leaves which showed enhanced dihydrojasmonic acid and TCA cycle intermediate concentrations. The results are consistent with acetate in the transpiration stream as an effective activator of the jasmonate signaling pathway and respiratory substrate. The shorter lifetime of formate relative to acetate in the transpiration stream suggests rapid formate oxidation to CO₂ during transport to the canopy. In contrast, acetate is efficiently transported to the canopy where an increased allocation towards mitochondrial dark respiration occurs at night. The results highlight the potential for an effective integration of acetate into glyoxylate and TCA cycles and the light-inhibition of citrate synthase as a potential regulatory mechanism controlling the diurnal allocation of acetate between anabolic and catabolic processes.