Proteomic analysis of rice plasma membrane-associated proteins in response to chitooligosaccharide elicitors

Chitoollgomers or chitooligosaccharides (COS) are elicitors that bind to the plasma membrane (PM) and elicit various defense responses. However, the PM-bound proteins involved in elicitor-mediated plant defense responses still remain widely unknown. In order to get more information about PM proteins involved in rice defense responses, we conducted PM proteomic analysis of the rice suspension cells elicited by COS. A total of 14 up- or down-regulated protein spots were observed on 2-D gels of PM fractions at 12 h and 24 h after COS incubation. Of them, eight protein spots were successfully identified by MS (mass spectrography) and predicted to be associated to the PM and function in plant defense, including a putative PKN/PRK1 protein kinase, a putative pyruvate kinase isozyme G, a putative zinc finger protein, a putative MAR-binding protein MFP1, and a putative calcium-dependent protein kinase. Interestingly, a COS-induced pM5-like protein was identified for the first time in plants, which is a transmembrane nodal modulator in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) signaling in vertebrates. We also identified two members of a rice polyprotein family, which were up-regulated by COS. Our study would provide a starting point for functionality of PM proteins in the rice basal defense.