Cell biology of the ESCRT machinery

Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2009 Aug;21(4):568-74. doi: 10.1016/j.ceb.2009.06.002. Epub 2009 Jun 26.

Abstract

The ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) machinery comprises a set of protein complexes that regulate sorting and trafficking into multivesicular bodies en route to the lysosome. The physical mechanism responsible for generating lumenal vesicles in this pathway is unknown. Here we review recent studies suggesting that components of the ESCRT-III complex drive lumenal vesicle formation and consider possible mechanisms for this reaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Archaea / metabolism
  • Biological Transport
  • Cytokinesis
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Endosomes / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lysosomes / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Protein Transport
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Ubiquitin / chemistry
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Polymers
  • Ubiquitin
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins