Endocytosis in Plants

Plant cells’ ability to internalize extracellular material facilitates many of their core functions, including subcellular signaling and the uptake of vital nutrients. Here, accomplished researchers detail recent advances in our understanding of endocytosis.

Endocytosis is a fundamental cellular process by means of which cells internalize extracellular and plasma membrane cargos for recycling or degradation. It is important for the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity, subcellular signaling and uptake of nutrients into specialized cells, but also for plant cell interactions with pathogenic and symbiotic microbes. Endocytosis starts by vesicle formation at the plasma membrane and progresses through early and late endosomal compartments. In these endosomes cargo is sorted and it is either recycled back to the plasma membrane, or degraded in the lytic vacuole. This book presents an overview of our current knowledge of endocytosis in plants with a main focus on the key molecules undergoing and regulating endocytosis. It also provides up to date methodological approaches as well as principles of protein, structural lipid, sugar and microbe internalization in plant cells. The individual chapters describe clathrin-mediated and fluid-phase endocytosis, as well as flotillin-mediated endocytosis and internalization of microbes. The book was written for a broad spectrum of readers including students, teachers and researchers.

Update on Methods and Techniques to Study Endocytosis in Plants.- Chemical Effectors of Plant Endocytosis and Endomembrane Trafficking.- Cell Polarity and Endocytosis.- Endocytosis and Vesicular Recycling in Root Hairs and Pollen Tubes.- Fluid Phase Endocytosis in Plant Cells.- Physical Control over Plant Endocytosis.- Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis in Plants.- Endocytic Trafficking of PIN Proteins and Auxin Transport.- Dynamic Behavior and Internalization of Aquaporins at The Surface of Plant Cells.- SCAMP, VSR and Plant Endocytosis.- The Plant SNX Family and its Role in Endocytosis.- ESCRT-Dependent Sorting in Late Endosomes.- Endocytic Accommodation of Microbes in Plants.- Endocytosis of Leeix and EHD Proteins during Plant Defense Signalling.- Endocytosis and Cytoskeleton: Dynamic Encounters Shaping the Portals of Cell Entry.