From Stress to Signature: Plant Proteomics in a Comparative Perspective

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics offers powerful tools to investigate plant diversity and environmental adaptability at the molecular level. In this lecture, I will present recent studies that employed comparative proteomic approaches to explore varietal responses in plants exposed to controlled environmental challenges, including both abiotic and biotic factors. By analyzing different cultivars, we identified specific protein expression patterns that reveal genotype-dependent adaptive strategies. Furthermore, integrative analyses combining proteomics with other omics have proven effective in uncovering functional metabolic traits and phenotypic variation across fruit varieties. These case studies demonstrate how MS-based proteomics can support the identification of molecular markers for varietal classification, resilience traits, and quality attributes—offering valuable perspectives for plant breeding and sustainable agriculture.