Large-scale comparative wheat phosphoproteome profiling reveals temperature-associated molecular signatures in wheat

Abstract Elevated temperatures resulting from climate change adversely affect natural and crop ecosystems, necessitating the development of heat-tolerant crops. Here, we established a framework to precisely identify protein phosphorylation sites associated with varying temperature sensitivities in wheat (Triticum aestivum). We identified specific kinases primarily associated with particular temperatures, but our results also suggest a striking overlap between cold and heat signaling. Furthermore, we propose that the phosphorylation state of a specific set of proteins may represent a signature for heat stress tolerance. These findings can potentially aid in the identification of targets for breeding or genome editing to enhance the sub- and supra-optimal temperature tolerance of crops.