Abstract
SNARE molecules are key regulators of vesicular traffic, which execute membrane fusion between transport vesicles/donor organelles and target organelles. These molecules are classified into four subtypes (Qa-, Qb-, Qc- and R-SNARE) according to their structure. One of major plant R-SNARE families, VAMP7, consists of two subgroups, VAMP71 and VAMP72. In seed plants, structurally distinct VAMP72 molecules harboring an insertion comprising ~20 amino acids in its N-terminal longin domain are also conserved. We previously reported that this type of VAMP72 molecule in A. thaliana, VAMP727, is involved in membrane trafficking around endosomes. We further indicated that the inserted sequence in the longin domain is essential for VAMP727 function. To investigate how plants acquired VAMP72 molecules with the insertion during evolution, we are studying VAMP72 members in basal plant lineages including the liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha. In this meeting, we are reporting results of functional analyses of VAMP72 members in M. polymorpha.
