Signaling in Vesicle Traffic: Protein-Lipid Interface in Regulation of Plant Endomembrane Dynamics

Abstract

The plant cell is characterized by a complex set of endomembrane com- partments constituting the exocytic and endocytic trafficking pathways. Both the function and communication between these compartments are regulated by distinct families of proteins that direct membrane fission, targeting, and fusion. Many of these events are regulated by the cooperative actions of monomeric ADP- ribosylation factor, Rab, and Rho GTPases with their corresponding effector proteins and membrane (phospho)lipids. Glycerophospholipids, namely, phosphoinositides, play a multitude of roles in membrane traffic, by mediating protein recruitment to membranes, by defining organelle identity, or by directly affecting membrane dynamics. Here we summarize recent advances in plant vesicular trafficking with special emphasis on the interplay between membrane phospholipids and proteins in the creation and maintenance of specific endomembrane compartments.