Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Unfolded Protein Response in HIV-1 Replication and Infectivity
Published on: June 14, 2024
When is the unfolded protein response not the unfolded protein response?
1Plant Sciences Institute and Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Abstract:
As sessile organisms, plants are subjected to variety of stresses for which they have evolved different protection mechanisms. One mechanism involves endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in which the process of protein folding is disturbed and misfolded proteins accumulate in the ER. ER stress elicits the unfolded protein response (UPR) whereby the stress conditions in the ER are communicated to the nucleus to regulate stress response genes. Since the UPR is one of a number of different mechanisms by which plants respond to stress, it is often difficult to distinguish the UPR from other stress responses. Many investigators have relied on the molecular signature of the UPR, the upregulation of UPR genes to implicate the UPR in response to various stresses. However, some of these genes are activated by other stresses making it problematic to know whether the UPR is truly activated in response to a given stress or is part of a complex response. Another challenge is to understand how plants actually perceive different stress conditions. Are all stress conditions that elicit the UPR response caused by an accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER? Is this the case for salt stress, which induces the UPR? How about biotic stresses, such as bacterial or viral infections? Do they lead to the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER or are there other means by which they induce the UPR?
Related Concept Videos
The Unfolded Protein Response
Regulation of the Unfolded Protein Response
Directing Proteins to the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
Protein Folding Quality Check in the RER
Export of Misfolded Proteins out of the ER
Post-translational Translocation of Proteins to the RER
Targeting proteins to the ER
Hsp40 and Hsp70 chaperone molecules bind the translated proteins in the cytosol to prevent their folding. The chaperone binding helps to keep the signal...

