Vacuolar processing enzyme: an executor of plant cell death

Apoptotic cell death in animals is regulated by cysteine proteinases called caspases. Recently, vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) was identified as a plant caspase. VPE deficiency prevents cell death during hypersensitive response and cell death of limited cell layers at the early stage of embryogene...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in plant biology 2005-08, Vol.8 (4), p.404-408
Main Authors: Hara-Nishimura, Ikuko, Hatsugai, Noriyuki, Nakaune, Satoru, Kuroyanagi, Miwa, Nishimura, Mikio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Apoptosis - physiology
Caspases - metabolism
Cysteine Endopeptidases - metabolism
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Plant Cells
Plants - embryology
Plants - enzymology
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Summary:Apoptotic cell death in animals is regulated by cysteine proteinases called caspases. Recently, vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) was identified as a plant caspase. VPE deficiency prevents cell death during hypersensitive response and cell death of limited cell layers at the early stage of embryogenesis. Because plants do not have macrophages, dying cells must degrade their materials by themselves. VPE plays an essential role in the regulation of the lytic system of plants during the processes of defense and development. VPE is localized in the vacuoles, unlike animal caspases, which are localized in the cytosol. Thus, plants might have evolved a regulated cellular suicide strategy that, unlike animal apoptosis, is mediated by VPE and the vacuoles.
ISSN:1369-5266
1879-0356
DOI:10.1016/j.pbi.2005.05.016