From the proteomic point of view: Integration of adaptive changes to iron deficiency in plants

Knowledge about the proteomic adaptations to iron deficiency in plants may contribute to find possible new research targets in order to generate crop plants that are more tolerant to iron deficiency, to increase the iron content or to enhance the bioavailability of iron in food plants. We provide this update on adaptations to iron deficiency from the proteomic standpoint. We have mined the data and compared ten studies on iron deficiency-related proteomic changes in six different Strategy I plant species. We summarize these results and point out common iron deficiency-induced alterations of important biochemical pathways based on the data provided by these publications, deliver explanations on the possible benefits that arise from these adaptations in iron-deficient plants and present a concluding model of these adaptations. Furthermore, we demonstrate the close interdependence of proteins which were found regulated across multiple studies, and we pinpoint proteins with yet unknown function, which may play important roles in iron homeostasis.