Potential protein biomarkers for heat tolerance at wheat seedling and ear peep stages.

Heat stress poses a major threat to global wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production, with rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves adversely affecting crop yields and grain quality. Understanding wheat’s molecular mechanisms underlying heat tolerance is crucial for developing resilient varieties. This study validated protein abundance changes under heat stress during ear peep in wheat flag leaf using selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (SRM–MS) in a set of heat-tolerant (Vixen-T) and heat-susceptible (HD2329-S) genotypes. The proteomics samples and flag leaf physiology measurements were taken on days 1, 3 and 5 of heat stress exposure (5 days, for 3 hrs per day) and day 12 after recovery at seedling and ear peep stages, further correlating these changes to physiology and yield data. This study identified key heat-responsive protein biomarkers at seedling and ear peep stage, contributing to breeding efforts to develop heat-tolerant wheat varieties. As climate change continues to challenge global food security, these findings offer promising strategies for sustaining wheat production in warmer climates.热胁迫对全球普通小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）生产构成重大威胁，持续上升的气温与愈发频繁的热浪会对作物产量及籽粒品质产生不利影响。解析小麦耐热性背后的分子机制，对于培育抗逆品种至关重要。本研究针对一组耐热型（Vixen-T）与热敏感型（HD2329-S）小麦基因型，采用选择反应监测质谱（Selected Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry, SRM-MS）技术，验证了小麦孕穗期旗叶在热胁迫下的蛋白质丰度变化。研究分别在热胁迫处理（每日3小时，共处理5天）的第1、3、5天，以及幼苗期与孕穗期恢复培养后的第12天，采集蛋白质组学样本并测定旗叶生理指标，随后将蛋白质丰度变化与生理指标及产量数据进行关联分析。本研究在幼苗期与孕穗期鉴定出关键的热响应蛋白质生物标志物，可为耐热小麦品种的育种工作提供助力。随着气候变化持续对全球粮食安全构成挑战，本研究结果可为温暖气候下维持小麦生产提供颇具前景的解决方案。