Proteogenomics-based functional genome research: approaches, applications, and perspectives in plants

Proteogenomics (PG) integrates the proteome with the genome and transcriptome to refine gene models and annotation. Coupled with single-cell (SC) assays, PG effectively distinguishes heterogeneity among cell groups. Affiliating spatial information to PG reveals the high-resolution circuitry within SC atlases. Additionally, PG can investigate dynamic changes in protein-coding genes in plants across growth and development as well as stress and external stimulation, significantly contributing to the functional genome. Here we summarize existing PG research in plants and introduce the technical features of various methods. Combining PG with other omics, such as metabolomics and peptidomics, can offer even deeper insights into gene functions. We argue that the application of PG will represent an important font of foundational knowledge for plants.