Connecting vacuolar and plasma membrane transport networks.

Paloma Cubero‐Font,Alexis De Angeli

doi:10.1111/nph.16983

Abstract

The coordinated control of ion transport across the two major membranes of differentiated plant cells, the plasma and the vacuolar membranes, is fundamental in cell physiology. The stomata responses to the fluctuating environmental conditions are an illustrative example. Indeed, they rely on the coordination of ion fluxes between the different cell compartments. The cytosolic environment, which is an interface between intracellular compartments, and the activity of the ion transporters localised in the different membranes influence one each other. Here we analyse the molecular mechanisms connecting and modulating the transport processes at both the plasma and the vacuolar membranes of guard cells.

Highlights

The morphological changes of the vacuole during stomata movements are linked to the transport activity of the vacuolar membrane (VM) (Andrés et al, 2014; Tanaka et al, 2007) (Fig. 1b)
The vacuolar membrane (VM) is a central element of the intracellular transport network, and the vacuolar transport processes must be considered integrated in a network of fluxes mutually influencing each other
The transporters fluxing molecules across the VM determine the specialized functions of the vacuole in plant cells

Summary

Introduction

The morphological changes of the vacuole during stomata movements are linked to the transport activity of the VM (Andrés et al, 2014; Tanaka et al, 2007) (Fig. 1b). To avoid aberrant ionic concentrations in the cytosol and to generate coherent responses, the transport systems residing in both the VM and the PM of guard cells are coregulated (Fig. 1). A first level is the regulation of the solute concentrations in the cytosol; a second level is through signalling pathways targeting the transport systems residing in the different cellular membranes.

Results

Conclusion