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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Confocal Microscopy Analysis of Protein Sorting to Plasmodesmata in Nicotiana benthamiana
Published on: November 1, 2024
Intracellular localization of VDAC proteins in plants
Cathrin Clausen1, Iryna Ilkavets, Rowena Thomson
1Department Biologie I, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Menzingerstr. 67, 80638 München, Germany.
Abstract:
Voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs) are porin-type beta-barrel diffusion pores. They are prominent in the outer membrane of mitochondria and facilitate metabolite exchange between the organelle and the cytosol. Here we studied the subcellular distribution of a plant VDAC-like protein between plastids and mitochondria in green and non-green tissue. Using in vitro studies of dual-import into mitochondria and chloroplasts as well as transient expression of fluorescence-labeled polypeptides, it could be clearly demonstrated that this VDAC isoform targets exclusively to mitochondria and not to plastids. Our results support the idea that plastids evolved a concept of solute exchange with the cytosol different from that of mitochondria.
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