Biology of Arabinogalactan Proteins

• Published in: Annual review of plant biology Vol. 58; pp. 137 - 161
• Main Authors: Seifert, G.J, Roberts, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2007
• Subjects: abscission; Apoptosis; Arabidopsis - embryology; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis - microbiology; Arabidopsis Proteins - chemistry; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - physiology; Arabidopsis thaliana; arabinogalactans; Body Patterning; Cell Division; cell growth; Cell Wall - metabolism; cell walls; embryogenesis; Embryonic Development; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - chemistry; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - metabolism; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - physiology; glycoproteins; glycosylphosphatidylinositol lipid anchors; hydrophyllic templates; literature reviews; mechanism of action; Membrane Microdomains - metabolism; microbial colonization; monoclonal antibodies; morphogen gradient modulators; Mucoproteins - chemistry; Mucoproteins - metabolism; Mucoproteins - physiology; mycorrhizal fungi; pattern formation; phenylglycoside dyes; plant growth; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Proteins - physiology; pollen; Pollen Tube - metabolism; polysaccharides; protein structure; signal sources; Signal Transduction
• ISSN: 1543-5008; 1545-2123
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.58.032806.103801

Arabinogalactan proteins is an umbrella term applied to a highly diverse class of cell surface glycoproteins, many of which contain glycosylphosphatidylinositol lipid anchors. The structures of protein and glycan moieties of arabinogalactan proteins are overwhelmingly diverse while the "hydroxproline contiguity hypothesis" predicts arabinogalactan modification of members of many families of extracellular proteins. Descriptive studies using monoclonal antibodies reacting with carbohydrate epitopes on arabinogalactan proteins and experimental work using beta-Yariv reagent implicate arabinogalactan proteins in many biological processes of cell proliferation and survival, pattern formation and growth, and in plant microbe interaction. Advanced structural understanding of arabinogalactan proteins and an emerging molecular genetic definition of biological roles of individual arabinogalactan protein species, in conjunction with potentially analogous extracellular matrix components of animals, stimulate hypotheses about their mode of action. Arabinogalactan proteins might be soluble signals, or might act as modulators and coreceptors of apoplastic morphogens; their amphiphilic molecular nature makes them prime candidates of mediators between the cell wall, the plasma membrane, and the cytoplasm.