Phosphoproteomics: Protein Phosphorylation in Regulation of Seed Germination and Plant Growth

Seed germination and plant growth are key stages in the plant life cycle and they are affected by abiotic stresses. Protein phosphorylation is commonly involved in key regulatory process, which mediates plant growth/development and stress responses. In plant, phosphoproteins play roles in stress responses and provide basic backbone in complex signaling networks. The mechanism of plant responses to abiotic stresses has been uncovered through study of protein phosphorylation. Recently, new methods for enrichment of phosphopeptides and phosphoproteins have been developed. Phosphoproteomic techniques are widely applied to studies of seed germination and plant growth. The signaling networks of phytohormones have been explored using the phosphoproteomic approach. In this review, the enrichment methods of phosphopeptides and phosphoproteins are summarized for phosphoproteomics. The roles of protein kinases and phosphatases in plant are described. The significant achievements of phosphoproteomics in the areas of seed germination and plant growth under abiotic stresses are reviewed. Applications of phosphoproteomics are valuable resources to uncover functional proteins regulating plant growth and stress responses. Keywords: Phosphorylation, proteomics, plant, germination, growth, phytohormones.