Project studying wheat adaptation to drought awarded
A research project of Olha Lakhnekova from the Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology (ÚGBR) of the Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre (CBRB) SAS in Nitra, focused on wheat drought resistance, has been awarded the Seal of Excellence certificate in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA4Ukraine) program.
As part of this project, scientists from the Nitra ÚGBR SAS are studying the drought response of sensitive and resistant wheat cultivars at the level of the so-called redox proteome. “The proteome is the set of all proteins present at a specific time in an organism or cell - here, in a plant or plant cell. The redox proteome refers to those proteins that are altered or affected by reduction-oxidation (redox) processes,” explains Olha Lakhnekova, project leader.
"Proteins are made up of amino acids. A relatively rare amino acid, cysteine, can undergo certain chemical changes under stress due to the presence of reactive molecules. This can alter the activity, structure, localization, and function of a particular protein. During stress, the levels of these reactive molecules increase in the plant, prompting the cell to respond. During neutralization, the thiol group on the cysteine residue of some proteins becomes oxidized. This represents a new level of the plant's response to stress," explains Olha Lakhnekova from the UGBR CBRB of the SAS in Nitra.
By comparing the differences in "redox proteins" between the aforementioned cultivars, scientists want to better understand which metabolic pathways these proteins regulate and propose a mechanism for how this adaptation to drought occurs.
The issue will be studied in Nitra primarily using proteomic technologies, supplemented by microscopic analyses. Proteomics is a complex biochemical approach that enables researchers to examine a large number of proteins and, by analyzing their changes, clarify various processes in cells and organisms.
“In times of increasingly frequent periods of drought and reduced precipitation, we must learn to cope with these climate changes. Plants will suffer from drought and produce lower yields. Wheat is a globally important cereal crop, essential for the production of bread, pastries, pasta, and even cookies,” says Olha Lakhnekova.
When we understand "what happens" during drought in individual plant species, we will be better able to design improved cultivars through breeding. “In our project, we want to identify the ‘key players’ in redox changes and pathways in wheat during drought and, as a hypothesis, propose a strategy for improving wheat production in times of increasingly frequent climate extremes,” concludes Olha Lakhnekova.
Contact: Miroslav Perniš, 037/6943 329, Center for Plant Biology and Biodiversity SAS, Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology
Source and photo: ÚGBR CBRB SAS