Abstract: To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which low O2 and high CO2 environments regulate the postharvest storage quality of potatoes, the distribution characteristics and functions of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in ‘Atlantic’ potatoes at the midpoint (day 60) and end (day 120) of storage were analyzed using data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics combined with subcellular localization prediction. The results showed that a total of 1 312 DEPs were induced in potatoes under low O2 and high CO2 stress, primarily enriched in organelles such as the cytoplasm, chloroplasts, and endoplasmic reticulum. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that low O2 and high CO2 stress significantly affected pathways including protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, photosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Proteins including members of the HSP20 family, ferredoxin, peroxidase, calmodulin, β-fructofuranosidase, and α-amylase synergistically responded to low O2 and high CO2 stress, collectively regulating relevant metabolic pathways to effectively delay “low-temperature sweetening” (LTS) in potatoes. In conclusion, at the protein level, this study reveals the molecular mechanism by which low O2 and high CO2 treatment synergistically alleviate LTS of potato through multiple pathways, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing controlled atmosphere storage techniques for processed potatoes.

Key words: potato; low O2 and high CO2 storage; stress response; proteomics; differentially expressed proteins; subcellular localization