The critical node (CN), which is the transition from the plateau phase to the rapid decreasing phase of seed ageing, is extremely important for seed conservation. Although numerous studies have investigated the oxidative stress during seed ageing, information on the changes in protein abundance at the CN is limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the abundance and carbonylation patterns of proteins at the CN of seed ageing in rice. The results showed that the germination rate of seeds decreased by less than 20% at the CN; however, the abundance of 112 proteins and the carbonylation levels of 68 proteins markedly changed, indicating oxidative damage. The abundance and activity of mitochondrial, glycolytic, and pentose phosphate pathway proteins were reduced; consequently, this negatively affected energy production and germination. Proteins related to defense, including antioxidant system and heat shock proteins, also reduced in abundance. Overall, energy metabolism was reduced at the CN, leading to a decrease in the antioxidant capacity, whereas seed storage proteins were up-regulated and carbonylated, indicating that the seed had a lower ability to utilize seed storage proteins for germination. Thus, the significant decrease in metabolic activities at the CN might accelerate the loss of seed viability.A notable characteristic of seed viability is the reverse S-shaped survival curve during ageing, which includes a plateau phase (Phase I; P-I), followed by a rapid decreasing phase (Phase II; P-II) and a slow decreasing phase (Phase III; P-III). The transformation from P-I to P-II is defined as the critical node (CN), which is highly important for seed conservation 1 . The average germination of approximately 42,000 diverse accessions stored for 16 to 81 years at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation, USA has been decreased by 42% 2 . The average germination rate of peanut (stored for 34 years), soybean (stored for 36 years), wheat (stored for 43.6 years), and barley (stored for 44.4 years) is 6%, 21%, 73%, and 86%, respectively 3 . Similar results have been also reported by the Genebank of the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Germany 4 . Rice is extremely important food crop. One of main aims in genebanks is maintaining the rice seed safe conservation. At the T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center in International Rice Research Institute, 183 rice accessions stored up to 30 years showed more than 70% germination 5 , and more than 93% of seed lots produced in 1980 still maintained 85% germination after 33 years in storage 6 . Owing to the reduction in seed viability, the regeneration of genetic resources is considered crucial for maintaining genetic integrity. Previous studies have shown that seed regeneration needs to be carried out prior to the CN in order to prevent a large decrease in viability, which can lead to changes in genetic composition 7,8 . Previously, we showed that the mitochondrial ultrastructure of seed at the CN is abnormal owing to the decre...

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