Abstract
The vacuole is an essential organelle for plant growth and development. It is the location for the storage of nutrients; such as sugars and proteins; and other metabolic products. Understanding the mechanisms of vacuolar trafficking and molecule transport across the vacuolar membrane is of great importance in understanding basic plant development and cell biology and for crop quality improvement. Proteins play important roles in vacuolar trafficking; such proteins include Rab GTPase signaling proteins; cargo recognition receptors; and SNAREs (Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptors) that are involved in membrane fusion. Some vacuole membrane proteins also serve as the transporters or channels for transport across the tonoplast. Less understood but critical are the roles of lipids in vacuolar trafficking. In this review, we will first summarize molecular composition of plant vacuoles and we will then discuss our latest understanding on the role of lipids in plant vacuolar trafficking and a surprising connection to ribosome function through the study of ribosomal mutants.
Highlights
Vacuoles are part of the endomembrane system in plant cells and occupy a large percentage of the cell volume
Proteomics data from vacuoles of different plant species revealed the protein composition of the tonoplast and the vacuole lumen. These data provide candidate targets for studying vacuolar transport and to address the mechanisms of vacuole function. Another important aspect in studying vacuole function is to understand the role of lipids that are integral to the tonoplast
We have recently provided new evidence on the role of lipids in vacuolar trafficking by studying ribosomal mutants
Summary
Vacuoles are part of the endomembrane system in plant cells and occupy a large percentage of the cell volume. The activities of tonoplast-localized enzymes, transporters and channels change in response to cytoplasmic conditions and regulate material exchange between the cytoplasm and vacuole lumen and maintain cellular homeostasis. Proteomics data from vacuoles of different plant species revealed the protein composition of the tonoplast and the vacuole lumen. These data provide candidate targets for studying vacuolar transport and to address the mechanisms of vacuole function. Another important aspect in studying vacuole function is to understand the role of lipids that are integral to the tonoplast. We will discuss the surprising role of lipids in vacuolar trafficking
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