The Lytic Compartment Of Plant Cells

Almost twenty years ago DE DuvE discovered the existence in rat liver cells of a novel class of subcellular structures which he termed lysosomes. As the lysosomes are the seat of various hydrolytic enzymes this discovery greatly stimulated the interest in cellular digestive processes. It is now recognized that compartmentation of hydrolases is an outstanding example of the dependence of metabolic functions on cell structure. The important role of lytic processes in plant metabolism made it interesting to correlate the facts on the various phenomena and present them from the point of view of cellular compartmentation. It is not intended to survey in extenso the litera ture on the various aspects of localization and function of hydrolases in plant cells as this would be an impossible task. The aim of this monograph is to emphasize the significance of hydrolase compartmentation rather than to strive for complete coverage of work on hydrolases in which other viewpoints have been considered. I thank Miss SONIA TURLER for her great help with the manuscript. I also wish to acknowledge the assistance given by Dr. ELSA HAUSERMANN, Mrs. DORLI FURRER, and Mrs. SILVIA STUNZI. Moreover, I am indebted to my collaborators and particularly to my colleague Dr. A. WIEMKEN for frequent and stimulating discussions on the subject. Zurich (Switzerland), February 1975 PH. MATILE Contents Abbreviations . XIII Introduction: Lysis and the Lytic Compartment. 1 1. Hydrolases and their Localization . . . . . 3 1. 1. Classification and Properties of Hydrolases 3 1. 1. 1. Peptidases . . . . . . . . .

Introduction to cell science; The molecules of cells; Cell membranes; The nucleus; Ribosomes; The soluble phase of the cell; The mitochondrion; The chloroplast; Microbodies; Cell walls; The golgi body; Lysosomes and vacuoles; Protoplasts.

Research into plant vacuoles has, over the last 5 years, been injected with new data which have already radically changed our concept of the vacuolar compartment in plant cells. In fact, we should no longer speak of the vacuole, but rather of vacuolar compartments. This is a revolutionary change in the way in which the plant cell has traditionally been presented in the biological literature. Vacuolar Compartments is a timely volume that provides a broad overview of our current understanding of the roles of vacuolar compartments in plant cells. Chapters focus on individual function of plant vacuoles and the tonoplast machinery that supports them. Additional chapters present up-to-date information on the identity of different vacuole types and the traffic of proteins to them. The book also provides a basis for comparing the plant system to vacuoles in other organisms. The present challenge is to understand how the separate organelles in the system are generated and maintained by the cell, and to explain at a biochemical level the functions of each vacuole type and the mechanisms by which they are achieved. Vacuolar Compartments is the first book to provide this perspective.

Plant Cells and Their Organelles provides a comprehensive overview of the structure and function of plant organelles. The text focuses on subcellular organelles while also providing relevant background on plant cells, tissues and organs. Coverage of the latest methods of light and electron microscopy and modern biochemical procedures for the isolation and identification of organelles help to provide a thorough and up-to-date companion text to the field of plant cell and subcellular biology. The book is designed as an advanced text for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students with student-friendly diagrams and clear explanations.

While there are a few plant cell biology books that are currently available, these are expensive, methods-oriented monographs. The present volume is a textbook for "upper" undergraduate and beginning graduate students." This textbook stresses concepts and is inquiry-oriented. To this end, there is extensive use of original research literature. As we live in an era of literature explosion, one must be selective. These judgements will naturally vary with each investigator. Input was sought from colleagues in deciding the literature to include. In addition to provision of select research literature, this volume presents citations and summaries of certain laboratory methods. In this connection, the textbook stresses quantitative data to enhance the student?s analytical abilities. Thus the volume contains computer-spread sheets and references to statistical packages, e.g. Harvard Graphics and Statistica.

Plant Cell Organelles contains the proceedings of the Phytochemical Group Symposium held in London on April 10-12, 1967. Contributors explore most of the ideas concerning the structure, biochemistry, and function of the nuclei, chloroplasts, mitochondria, vacuoles, and other organelles of plant cells. This book is organized into 13 chapters and begins with an overview of the enzymology of plant cell organelles and the localization of enzymes using cytochemical techniques. The text then discusses the structure of the nuclear envelope, chromosomes, and nucleolus, along with chromosome sequestration and replication. The next chapters focus on the structure and function of the mitochondria of higher plant cells, biogenesis in yeast, carbon pathways, and energy transfer function. The book also considers the chloroplast, the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi bodies, and the microtubules. The final chapters discuss protein synthesis in cell organelles; polysomes in plant tissues; and lysosomes and spherosomes in plant cells. This book is a valuable source of information for postgraduate workers, although much of the material could be used in undergraduate courses.

This textbook is about plant cells and the way in which their behaviour is regulated to suit the function which they fulfil in the plant. The purpose of the book is to emphasise the structural and spatial events which occur during the development of specialised plant cells. It is designed to fill the gap between descriptive anatomy books on the one hand and purely physiological books on the other. Its novelty is in its emphasis on the interaction between the structure of a plant cell and the way in which it performs its role in the plant. It is written in two parts, of four chapters each. The first part concentrates on cells as individuals, and presents a detailed account of their structure in various situations, together with descriptions of how such structures are achieved and function. The second part places these descriptions in the context of tissues, organs and whole plants.