Endoplasmic reticulum stress response and regulated intramembrane proteolysis in plants

Abstract

In the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, protein folding in the ER is disturbed, resulting in the induction of genes encoding proteins that facilitate correct folding of proteins. Unique mechanism of signaling pathway in the ER stress response has been studied in yeast and animals. In animals, several bZIP type transcription factors with a transmembrane domain controlled by regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) have been reported to be involved in the signaling pathway. Very recently, AtbZIP60, which is a bZIP type transctiption factor with a transmembrane domain, was identified to be involved in the ER stress response in Arabidopsis. Several other transctiption factors that seem to be regulated by RIP have been also reported in Arabidopsis. Analysis of the regulation mechanism of AtbZIP60 will contribute to understanding of the ER stress response and RIP in plants.