高等植物细胞含有复杂的内膜系统, 通过其特有的膜泡运输机制来完成细胞内和细胞间的物质交流。膜泡运输主要包括运输囊泡的出芽、定向移动、拴留和膜融合4个过程。这4个过程受到许多因子的调控, 如Coat、SM、Tether、SNARE和Rab蛋白等, 其中SNARE因子在膜融合过程中发挥重要功能。SNARE因子是小分子跨膜蛋白, 分为定位于运输囊泡上的v-SNARE和定位于靶位膜上的t-SNARE, 两类SNARE结合形成SNARE复合体, 促进膜融合的发生。SNARE蛋白在调控植物体生长发育以及对外界环境响应等生理过程中起重要作用。该文对模式植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)SNARE因子的最新细胞内定位和功能分析等研究进展进行了概述。
Higher plant cells contain a complicated endomembrane system to complete material communication through its characteristic vesicle trafficking mechanism. Vesicle trafficking includes four steps: budding, transport, tethering, and fusion. These four steps are regulated by many factors, such as Coat, SM, Tether, SNARE, and Rab proteins. SNARE proteins play an essential role in fusion. SNARE proteins are small transmembrane proteins and can be grouped into vesicle SNAREs (v-SNAREs), which are localized on transport vesicles, and target SNAREs (t-SNAREs), which are localized on the target membrane. t- and v-SNAREs form a complex to facilitate membrane fusion. SNARE proteins play an essential role in plant growth and development and response to environments. Here, we summarize the research advances into the intracellular distribution and function of SNAREs in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.