PDZ Domain Proteins: ‘Dark Matter' of the Plant Proteome?

摘要

PDZ domain proteins in metazoans function in diverse roles,and in conjunction with PDZ domain-binding proteins form macromolecular complexes for signaling at synapses and cell junctions.Bioinformatics approaches using the SMART tool indicate there are only a modest number of Arabidopsis PDZ proteins.However,there are hundreds of proteins predicted to possess PDZ domain-binding motifs,suggesting that there are many PDZ domain proteins not detectable by conventional bioinformatic approaches.Our Scansite analysis of PDZ domain-binding proteins indicates that PDZ domain proteins may play key roles in cytoskeletal organization including actin microfilaments,microtubules,and nuclear cytoskeletal proteins,and in the organization of macromolecular complexes involved in cell-to-cell signaling,transport,and cell wall formation.