Eukaryotic cells have developed a sophisticated internal endomembrane system that is critical for cellular homeostasis. Although largely conserved across different organisms, plant cells have unique features like multiple Golgi and associated Trans-Golgi Network compartments and endosomes, cortical endoplasmic reticulum, chloroplast-nuclei extensions, and plasmodesmata, all of which support endomembrane system structure, function, dynamics, and interactions required for cell function. Additionally, plant endomembrane compartments can be specialized in response to developmental programs, and major reorganization of the endomembrane system can occur in response to external stimuli; for example, cells coordinate pathogen defense by reorganizing proteins and lipids at the plasmodesmata; in response to high-light stress chloroplasts form extensions known as stromules to communicate with the nucleus; endosomes are re-directed and become exosomes during pathogen attack; and diverse stress responses can activate the formation of transient compartments like autophagosomes.
Therefore, to establish and maintain cellular processes, plants rely on the tight control of the endomembrane system dynamics and organization. This control is mediated by a variety of factors, including proteins and lipids that are specifically synthesized in each compartment, the connection of organelles and vesicles to cytoskeletal components, and long-range signaling events between cells within the plant as well as between the plant and its environment.
This Research Topic will focus on the unique characteristics and specialization of the plant endomembrane system. We would like to emphasize the diversity of the machinery and regulatory mechanisms that control endomembrane compartments, vesicle trafficking, and the dynamics and interactions among these mechanisms that assist in plant cell function, development, and environmental responses.
Topics of interest include plasmodesmata organization and structure, endosomal signaling, reorganization of the endomembrane traffic in response to stress, the formation and delivery of exosomes, autophagosomes, and reorganization of endomembrane structures such as vacuole fragmentation, damaged organelles degradation, and ERphagy.
Studies focused on vesicle trafficking/endomembrane dynamics in determining cell shape, size, and differentiation; organelle-organelle interactions, cytoskeleton-organelle dynamics, compartment biogenesis, lipid dynamics, and signaling that contribute to endomembrane traffic control are also within the scope of this Research Topic.
Submission of topics surrounding the evolution of plant endomembrane organization, canonical and non-canonical protein transport routes, cell wall material biosynthesis, and transport and endomembrane compartment dynamics are all encouraged. New approaches to visualizing endomembrane kinetics/dynamics, evaluating regulatory networks, and building an endomembrane network atlas are also requested.
We invite submissions of breakthrough projects and compelling results and methods, as well as opinion papers and reviews. We especially encourage early-career researchers to share their work in this issue.
Eukaryotic cells have developed a sophisticated internal endomembrane system that is critical for cellular homeostasis. Although largely conserved across different organisms, plant cells have unique features like multiple Golgi and associated Trans-Golgi Network compartments and endosomes, cortical endoplasmic reticulum, chloroplast-nuclei extensions, and plasmodesmata, all of which support endomembrane system structure, function, dynamics, and interactions required for cell function. Additionally, plant endomembrane compartments can be specialized in response to developmental programs, and major reorganization of the endomembrane system can occur in response to external stimuli; for example, cells coordinate pathogen defense by reorganizing proteins and lipids at the plasmodesmata; in response to high-light stress chloroplasts form extensions known as stromules to communicate with the nucleus; endosomes are re-directed and become exosomes during pathogen attack; and diverse stress responses can activate the formation of transient compartments like autophagosomes.
Therefore, to establish and maintain cellular processes, plants rely on the tight control of the endomembrane system dynamics and organization. This control is mediated by a variety of factors, including proteins and lipids that are specifically synthesized in each compartment, the connection of organelles and vesicles to cytoskeletal components, and long-range signaling events between cells within the plant as well as between the plant and its environment.
This Research Topic will focus on the unique characteristics and specialization of the plant endomembrane system. We would like to emphasize the diversity of the machinery and regulatory mechanisms that control endomembrane compartments, vesicle trafficking, and the dynamics and interactions among these mechanisms that assist in plant cell function, development, and environmental responses.
Topics of interest include plasmodesmata organization and structure, endosomal signaling, reorganization of the endomembrane traffic in response to stress, the formation and delivery of exosomes, autophagosomes, and reorganization of endomembrane structures such as vacuole fragmentation, damaged organelles degradation, and ERphagy.
Studies focused on vesicle trafficking/endomembrane dynamics in determining cell shape, size, and differentiation; organelle-organelle interactions, cytoskeleton-organelle dynamics, compartment biogenesis, lipid dynamics, and signaling that contribute to endomembrane traffic control are also within the scope of this Research Topic.
Submission of topics surrounding the evolution of plant endomembrane organization, canonical and non-canonical protein transport routes, cell wall material biosynthesis, and transport and endomembrane compartment dynamics are all encouraged. New approaches to visualizing endomembrane kinetics/dynamics, evaluating regulatory networks, and building an endomembrane network atlas are also requested.
We invite submissions of breakthrough projects and compelling results and methods, as well as opinion papers and reviews. We especially encourage early-career researchers to share their work in this issue.
