title: Pectin methylesterases: cell wall enzymes with important roles in plant physiology.
abstract: Pectin methylesterases catalyse the demethylesterification of cell wall polygalacturonans. In dicot plants, these ubiquitous cell wall enzymes are involved in important developmental processes including cellular adhesion and stem elongation. Here, I highlight recent studies that challenge the accepted views of the mechanism and function of pectin methylesterases, including the co-secretion of pectins and pectin methylesterases into the apoplasm, new action patterns of mature pectin methylesterases and a possible function of the pro regions of pectin methylesterases as intramolecular chaperones.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire des Relations Plantes-Microorganismes, INRA-CNRS, BP27, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex, France. micheli@toulouse.inra.fr
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Micheli
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000502:physiology; D005810:Multigene Family; D010368:Pectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D010368:Pectins; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; C022323:pectinesterase; D002118:Calcium