Responsivity of Two Pea Genotypes to the Symbiosis with Rhizobia and Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi – a Proteomics Aspect of the “Efficiency of Interactions with Beneficial Soil Microoganisms” Trait

It is well-known that individual pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars differ in their symbiotic responsivity. This trait is typically manifested with an increase in seed weights due to inoculation with rhizobial bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The aim of this work was to characterize the alterations in root proteome of highly responsive pea genotype k-8274 and low-responsive genotype k-3358 grown in non-sterile soil, which were associated with root colonization with rhizobial bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi in comparison to proteome shifts caused by soil supplementation with mineral nitrogen salts. Our results clearly indicate that supplementation of the soil with mineral nitrogen-containing salts switched the root proteome of both genotypes to assimilation of the available nitrogen, whereas the processes associated with nitrogen fixation were suppressed. Surprisingly, inoculation with rhizobial bacteria had only a minor effect on root proteomes of the both genotypes. The most pronounced response was observed for highly responsive k-8274 genotype inoculated simultaneously with rhizobial bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. This response involved activation of the proteins related to redox metabolism and suppression of excessive nodule formation. In turn, the low-responsive genotype k-3358 demonstrated a pronounced inoculation-induced suppression of protein metabolism and enhanced diverse defense reactions in pea roots under the same soil conditions. The results of the study shed light on the molecular basis of differential symbiotic responsivity in different pea cultivars.