Citrullination of proteins as a specific response mechanism in plants

Abstract

ABSTRACTArginine deamination, also referred to as citrullination of proteins by peptidyl-arginine deiminases, is a post-translational modification affecting histone modifications, epigenetic transcriptional regulation and proteolysis in animals, but has not been reported in higher plants. Here we report, firstly, thatArabidopsis thalianaproteome contains proteins with a specific citrullination signature and that many of the citrullinated proteins have nucleotide-binding regulatory functions. Secondly, we show that changes in the citrullinome occur in response to cold stress, and thirdly, we identify anArabidopsis thalianaprotein with calcium-dependent arginine deiminase activity. Taken together, these findings establish this post-translational modification as a hitherto neglected component of cellular reprogramming during stress responses.