Differential Proteomic Analysis to Reveal the Mechanism of Heat Damage in Soybean Using a Data‐Independent Acquisition (DIA) Strategy

ABSTRACT Soybean represents the largest imported agricultural product in China. Imported soybeans are typically transported via maritime shipping. During transportation, soybeans in enclosed cargo holds are highly susceptible to thermal damage due to increasing environmental temperature and humidity. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of soybean heat damage, a differential proteomics approach was employed, utilizing a data‐independent acquisition (DIA) strategy. This methodology identified 1670 distinct differentially expressed proteins. Notably, proteins associated with fatty acid metabolism and biosynthesis exhibited downregulated expression levels in heat‐damaged soybeans. Conversely, proteins involved in mitigating oxidative stress damage, regulating protein synthesis, and maintaining metabolic homeostasis demonstrated upregulated expression. The study reveals that heat‐stressed soybeans adapt to elevated temperatures through coordinate regulation of destructive and protective protein expression ‐ suppressing detrimental proteins while enhancing beneficial ones. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for optimizing storage conditions and maintaining the superior quality of soybeans during transportation and storage.