In Silico Interactome Network Analysis and Phylogenetic Relationship of Potato Peroxidases and Catalases

Peroxidases (POXs) and Catalases (CATs) are the main antioxidant enzymes involved in scavenging H2O2 in living cells. Different POXs and CATs may be capable of exhibiting interaction with the constituents of the plant cell. Whereas the activity or gene expression of POXs and CATs has been investigated in potato plants, their interactions with other proteins in this crop have not been investigated till now. Determining Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) networks could be important in providing crucial insights into the regulation of plant defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. STRING analysis revealed interaction of cationic, suberization-associated anionic, and Class III peroxidases in potato with several enzymes involved in lignin biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid pathways, which was in accordance with close phylogenetic relationship of the three potato peroxidases investigated in this study. The CAT1 enzyme in potato interacted with several enzymes involved in ROS production. Phylogenetic analysis of the CAT1 and CAT2 genes in this plant species referred to their close relationship. Demonstrating how each isoform of these enzymes responds to environmental stimuli and how it interacts with other proteins at transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels seems to be useful in designing novel and effective plant protection strategies against different stresses.