Investigating respiration response and mechanisms underpinning respiratory acclimation to low temperature in wheat

This thesis investigates the effects of low temperature (LT) on respiration and expands knowledge of mechanisms underlying LT-response of respiration in wheat that could help improve LT-tolerance. The results highlighted the pattern and time-scale of respiration response to short- and long-term LT in wheat. A targeted proteomics approach demonstrated the role of the abundance of mitochondrial components and mitochondrial density in LT-acclimation. Metabolomics results also showed the changes in respiration substrate availability in response to LT. Further investigations highlighted the role of L-Proline as a significant substrate in increasing acclimation capacity of respiration in response to LT in wheat plants.