Anniversary of the discovery of sec mutants by Novick and Schekman

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the isolation of 23 SEC genes. These genes all encode key regulators of the secretory pathway, and much of our knowledge of the secretory pathway is based on this initial discovery. The identification of the SEC genes is a result of combining genetics, biochemistry, and electron microscopy in a very clever way. Scientists have been busy ever since seeking to understand the function and regulation of these genes and to identify further key players in the process. Although most of the machinery acting along the secretory pathway is known and its function generally understood, knowledge of regulation of the pathway under various conditions is still scarce and will keep researchers busy for years to come.