Membrane anchors for vacuolar targeting: application in plant bioreactors

Trends Biotechnol. 2002 Mar;20(3):99-102. doi: 10.1016/s0167-7799(02)01882-6.

Abstract

Transgenic plants are attractive expression systems for producing recombinant proteins. Plant cells compartmentalize and store metabolites and proteins in vacuoles, but foreign proteins need to be targeted to the correct compartments if they are to accumulate in a stable fashion. Here we present a general strategy in which unique transmembrane and cytoplasmic tail sequences are used as anchors for delivering recombinant proteins via distinct vesicular transport pathways to specific vacuolar compartments where stable accumulation can occur.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bioreactors*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism*
  • Protein Sorting Signals / physiology
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Vacuoles / metabolism*
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Protein Sorting Signals
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • alpha-TIP protein, Phaseolus vulgaris