Abstract
Recent studies revealed that endocytosis is involved in the many plant functions of higher order, although detailed molecular mechanisms of endocytosis remain almost unknown. We are studying how endocytosis participates in plant morphogenesis and response to the environment using Arabidopsis plants, with a special focus on the Rab5 GTPases. In plants, more than half of Rab GTPases including Rab5 members are predicted to regulate endocytosis. There are three Rab5 members in Arabidopsis thaliana, conventional type of Rab5, ARA7 and RHA1, and plant-unique Rab5, ARA6. While the ara6 single mutant showed no visible phenotypes, ara6 suppressed a wide spectrum of phenotypes of atvam3/syp22. We tried to reveal further how ARA6 and VAM3 commit to the plant morphogenesis by a genetic approach. In this meeting, we will report on suppressors of atvam3/syp22.
