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Vacuolar processing enzymes in the plant life cycle
Kenji Yamada1, Arpan Kumar Basak1,2, Shino Goto-Yamada1
1Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, 30-387, Poland.
The New Phytologist
|November 4, 2019
Summary
Vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) initiates plant protein maturation and programmed cell death. This enzyme
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Enzymology
- Cellular processes
Background:
- Vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) is a crucial cysteine endopeptidase.
- VPE processes proproteins, initiating vacuolar protein maturation and activation.
- VPE plays a role in programmed cell death (PCD) and peptide ligation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the diverse functions of VPE in plants.
- To explore the evolutionary diversification of VPEs in angiosperms.
- To highlight VPE's role in vacuolar protein processing and peptide ligation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of VPE research.
- Analysis of VPE substrate specificity.
- Comparative analysis of VPE homologues across plant species.
Main Results:
- VPE exhibits specific cleavage at Asn/Asp residues.
- VPE is essential for vacuolar protein maturation and PCD initiation.
- Angiosperm VPEs diversified into distinct types (γ, β, δ) with specialized expression patterns.
Conclusions:
- VPE's dual activity in processing and ligation is vital for plant development and environmental responses.
- Evolutionary divergence of VPEs reflects functional specialization.
- Understanding VPE is key to deciphering plant cellular regulation.
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