title: Plant vacuole morphology and vacuolar trafficking.
abstract: Plant vacuoles are essential organelles for plant growth and development, and have multiple functions. Vacuoles are highly dynamic and pleiomorphic, and their size varies depending on the cell type and growth conditions. Vacuoles compartmentalize different cellular components such as proteins, sugars, ions and other secondary metabolites and play critical roles in plants response to different biotic/abiotic signaling pathways. In this review, we will summarize the patterns of changes in vacuole morphology in certain cell types, our understanding of the mechanisms of plant vacuole biogenesis, and the role of SNAREs and Rab GTPases in vacuolar trafficking.
authors.affiliation: Center for Plant Cell Biology and Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California at Riverside Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Plant Cell Biology and Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California at Riverside Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Glenn R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.affiliation: Center for Plant Cell Biology and Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California at Riverside Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Natasha V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Raikhel
keywords: HOPS complex; Rab GTPases; SNAREs; actin cytoskeleton; chemical biology; lipids; vacuole fusion; vacuole morphology