Final Report Summary - SUSY (Protein sulfenylation in Medicago truncatula - Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiosis)
There is now compelling evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) and in particular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is an important signal in plants. This has been particularly reported in the case of plant - pathogen interactions. More recently, the involvement of ROS during the Legume - Rhizobium symbiotic interaction has also been highlighted; H2O2 appears to be involved in the development and functioning of this symbiosis (Pauly et al. 2006; Marino et al., 2011), which is characterised by the formation of a new organ on the root, the so-called nodule, able to fix atmospheric nitrogen.
On the other hand, H2O2 is known to interact directly with protein thiols, leading to the formation of a sulfenic acid group (sulfenylation); this has been suggested as a widespread mechanism by which H2O2 might affect protein function (Cooper et al., 2002).
In this framework, the aim of the SUSY project, which was launched on 1 November 2009 and ran for two years, was to identify sulfenylated proteins in the Medicago truncatula - Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiotic interaction. Indeed, this was crucial to improve our knowledge on the role of H2O2 in this symbiosis. This project was clearly based on a multidisciplinary approach (proteomic, physiology, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology and bioinformatics) and aimed at characterising a completely new role for H2O2 as a signalling molecule in plants, in providing a repertoire of proteins regulated by H2O2-driven post-translational modifications.
The main other goal of the project was to define the impact of the cysteine sufenylation of protein of interest at a physiological level, to understand the role of this enzyme in the symbiosis.
On the other hand, H2O2 is known to interact directly with protein thiols, leading to the formation of a sulfenic acid group (sulfenylation); this has been suggested as a widespread mechanism by which H2O2 might affect protein function (Cooper et al., 2002).
In this framework, the aim of the SUSY project, which was launched on 1 November 2009 and ran for two years, was to identify sulfenylated proteins in the Medicago truncatula - Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiotic interaction. Indeed, this was crucial to improve our knowledge on the role of H2O2 in this symbiosis. This project was clearly based on a multidisciplinary approach (proteomic, physiology, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology and bioinformatics) and aimed at characterising a completely new role for H2O2 as a signalling molecule in plants, in providing a repertoire of proteins regulated by H2O2-driven post-translational modifications.
The main other goal of the project was to define the impact of the cysteine sufenylation of protein of interest at a physiological level, to understand the role of this enzyme in the symbiosis.