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JXB Advance Access published online on October 22, 2008
Journal of Experimental Botany, doi:10.1093/jxb/ern255
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© The Author [2008]. Published by Oxford University Press [on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology]. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

REVIEW-ARTICLE

The role of Rab GTPases in cell wall metabolism

Grantley Lycett*

Plant and Crop Sciences Division, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Near Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: grantley.lycett{at}nottingham.ac.uk

The synthesis and modification of the cell wall must involve the production of new cell wall polymers and enzymes. Their targeted secretion to the apoplast is one of many potential control points. Since Rab GTPases have been strongly implicated in the regulation of vesicle trafficking, a review of their involvement in cell wall metabolism should throw light on this possibility. Cell wall polymer biosynthesis occurs mainly in the Golgi apparatus, except for cellulose and callose, which are made at the plasma membrane by an enzyme complex that cycles through the endomembrane system and which may be regulated by this cycling. Several systems, including the growth of root hairs and pollen tubes, cell wall softening in fruit, and the development of root nodules, are now being dissected. In these systems, secretion of wall polymers and modifying enzymes has been documented, and Rab GTPases are highly expressed. Reverse genetic experiments have been used to interfere with these GTPases and this is revealing their importance in regulation of trafficking to the wall. The role of the RabA (or Rab11) GTPases is particularly exciting in this respect.

Key words: Cell wall, fruit softening, pollen tube, Rab GTPase, root hair, root nodule, trafficking, vesicle

Received 28 July 2008; Revised 15 September 2008 Accepted 17 September 2008


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