Deciphering putative protein profile of a photomorphogenic high pigment mutant of Solanum lycopersicum (hp-1) by high-throughput LC–MS/MS analysis

The mutant hp-1 is a photomorphogenic high pigment tomato mutant. It has high commercial significance as a source of non-transgenic lycopene-rich mutants. The putative effect of the hp-1 mutation on the alteration of proteomic behavior remains elusive. We put effort into giving an insight mechanism underlying this high pigmentation by high-throughput LC/MS/MS analysis. The bioinformatics interpretation of the results expressed a large number of proteins specific to the hp-1 mutant. The identified proteins in the pericarp tissue were involved in physiologic processes: including photosynthesis: stress and defense: protein synthesis: processing: and folding: Carbohydrate metabolism and respiratory cycle: RO reaction and oxidative damage: ethylene biosynthesis: and cell wall metabolism with enhanced expression of ACO: NDPK: ATP synthase: MDH 1: TPM 1: OSML 13: PR10: HSP 70: STH 1: peroxidase: SOP: Gly-rich RBP: OEE 1: PSII OECP. The modulation of the accumulation scale of proteins showed the integrated functioning of light-interacting factors and fruit ripening. This report unravels the proteomic regulatory network for high pigmentation and will strengthen future research on fruit pigment development and metabolism.