Scientific question

Endogenous peptides are ubiquitous across all living organisms and are crucial in regulating physiological processes. In plants, they are particularly important as peptide hormones and phytocytokines, contributing to defense mechanisms when affected by different stressors. Despite their significance, endogenous peptides have received limited attention in mass spectrometry-based proteomics research. This is mainly due to the specific analytical challenges they pose in sample preparation and data analysis, which require tailored approaches beyond conventional workflows.

Approach

This project aims to develop a robust peptidomics workflow tailored to various sample types, including tissues such as leaves and apoplastic wash fluid. To achieve this, specialized extraction protocols will be optimized, and novel mass spectrometry-based data analysis strategies will be established. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying and characterizing various modifications, such as disulfide bridges, that can be crucial for the biological function of plant-derived endogenous peptides.

Expected results

The optimized peptidomics workflow will be applied to investigate a range of biological questions within this research network. These include exploring how the plant peptidome responds to bacterial infections or elicitor treatments [collaboration: Prof. Dr. Ralph Hückelhoven (TUM) & Prof. Dr. Martin Stegmann (Ulm University)].