Advanced Proteomic Approaches to Elucidate Somatic Embryogenesis

Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a cell differentiation process by which a somatic cell changes its genetic program and develops into an embryonic cell. Investigating this process with various explant sources in vitro has allowed us to trace somatic embryo development from germination to plantlets and has led to the generation of new technologies, including genetic transformation, endangered species conservation, and synthetic seed production. A transcriptome data comparison from different stages of the developing somatic embryo has revealed a complex network controlling the somatic cell’s fate, suggesting that an interconnected network acts at the protein level. Here, we discuss the current progress on SE using proteomic-based data, focusing on changing patterns of proteins during the establishment of the somatic embryo. Despite the advanced proteomic approaches available so far, deciphering how the somatic embryo is induced is still in its infancy. The new proteomics techniques that lead to the quantification of proteins with different abundances during the induction of SE are opening this area of study for the first time. These quantitative differences can elucidate the different pathways involved in SE induction. We envisage that the application of these proteomic technologies can be pivotal to identifying proteins critical to the process of SE, demonstrating the cellular localization, posttranslational modifications, and turnover protein events required to switch from a somatic cell to a somatic embryo cell and providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying SE. This work will help to develop biotechnological strategies for mass production of quality crop material.

Integrative proteomics and phosphoproteomics reveals phosphorylation networks involved in the maintenance and expression of embryogenic competence in sugarcane callus

“…Ubiquitins are one of the marker proteins for different stages of somatic embryogenesis (Aguilar-Hernandez and Loyola-Vargas, 2018). In the present work, the interactions among proteins involved in protein modification, including UBC5, UBC35, SUMO1, and HD1, was observed in ECs under maturation (EC14) (Fig.…”

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in Piper aduncum L

“…Somatic embryos develop from somatic cells through embryogenic stages similar to zygotic embryogenesis (Von Arnold et al 2002) and occur without the fusion of gametes (Williams and Maheswaran 1986). In addition to the mass propagation of genotypes of economic interest, which reduce the excessive use of natural populations, this technique has allowed the generation of new technologies, such as genetic transformation, synthetic seed production (Aguilar-Hernández and Loyola-Vargas 2018), and viral cleaning (Sasi and Bhat 2018). Furthermore, it presents the additional advantage of automation during the production system through the use of bioreactors.…”

Unravelling the Metabolic and Hormonal Machinery During Key Steps of Somatic Embryogenesis: A Case Study in Coffee

“…In parallel, the latest omics technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, metabolomics and phenomics) are gaining increasing attention. Many authors believe that combining omics technologies with the in vitro process can have a tremendous impact on the knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying SE [22,25,26]. Metabolomics data can provide a wealth of information in the description and elucidation of physiological responses to environmental conditions in plants [27].…”