Investigation of the effect of nitrogen on severity of Fusarium head blight in barley

J Proteomics. 2010 Feb 10;73(4):743-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2009.10.010. Epub 2009 Nov 3.

Abstract

The effect of nitrogen on Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) in a susceptible barley cultivar was investigated using gel-based proteomics. Barley grown with either 15 or 100kgha(-1)N fertilizer was inoculated with Fusarium graminearum (Fg). The storage protein fraction did not change significantly in response either to N level or Fg, whereas eighty protein spots in the water-soluble albumin fraction increased and 108 spots decreased more than two-fold in intensity in response to Fg. Spots with greater intensity in infected plants contained fungal proteins (9 spots) and proteolytic fragments of plant proteins (65 spots). Identified fungal proteins included two superoxide dismutases, L-xylulose reductase in two spots, peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase and triosephosphate isomerase, and proteins of unknown function. Spots decreasing in intensity in response to Fg contained plant proteins possibly degraded by fungal proteases. Greater spot volume changes occurred in response to Fg in plants grown with low nitrogen, although proteomes of uninfected plants were similar for both treatments. Correlation of proteome changes with measurement of Fusarium-damaged kernels, fungal biomass and mycotoxin levels indicated that increased Fusarium infection occurred in barley with low N and suggests control of N fertilization as a possible way to minimise FHB in barley.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomass
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional
  • Fertilizers
  • Fungal Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Fusarium / drug effects*
  • Fusarium / growth & development
  • Fusarium / metabolism
  • Hordeum / drug effects*
  • Hordeum / growth & development
  • Hordeum / metabolism
  • Hordeum / microbiology*
  • Mycotoxins / metabolism
  • Nitrogen / pharmacology*
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / metabolism
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology*
  • Plant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proteomics
  • Seeds / drug effects
  • Seeds / growth & development
  • Seeds / metabolism
  • Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases / metabolism
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Triose-Phosphate Isomerase / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Fertilizers
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Mycotoxins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases
  • L-xylulose reductase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Triose-Phosphate Isomerase
  • Nitrogen