This book is devoted to the fascinating superfamily of plant ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and their variety of transported substrates. It highlights their exciting biological functions, covering aspects ranging from cellular detoxification, through development, to symbiosis and defense. Moreover, it also includes a number of chapters that center on ABC transporters from non-Arabidopsis species. ABC proteins are ubiquitous, membrane-intrinsic transporters that catalyze the primary (ATP-dependent) movement of their substrates through biological membranes. Initially identified as an essential aspect of a vacuolar detoxification process, genetic work in the last decade has revealed an unexpectedly diverse variety of ABC transporter substrates, which include not only xenobiotic conjugates, but also heavy metals, lipids, terpenoids, lignols, alkaloids and organic acids. The discovery that members of the ABCB and ABCG family are involved in the movement of phytohormones has further sparked their exploration and provided a new understanding of the whole family. Accordingly, the trafficking, regulation and structure-function of ABCB-type auxin transporters are especially emphasized in this book.

ABC Proteins is an in-depth, up-to-date analysis of all that is known about the subject to date. It discusses and compares evolution, biology and mechanism of action of all known ABC proteins, including the first structural studies as well as clinical implications. It will be useful to anyone trying to stay abreast of the latest findings. This book is sure to become a classic and will regularly be updated. - Phylogeny and Evoloution of ABC Transporters - Fundamental Aspects of the Mechanism of Action of ABC Transporters - Prokaryote ABC Transporters - Non-Mammalian Transporters - Multidrug Transporters - ABC Transporters, Physiological Roles and Human Disease - Full color throughout

This volume of Current Topics in Membranes focuses on metal transmembrane transporters and pumps, a recently discovered family of membrane proteins with many important roles in the physiology of living organisms. The book summarizes the most recent advances in the field of metal ion transport and provides a broad overview of the major classes of transporters involved in homeostasis of heavy metals. Various families of the transporters and metal specificities are discussed with the focus on the structural and mechanistic aspects of their function and regulation. The reader will access information obtained through a variety of approaches ranging from X-ray crystallography to cell biology and bioinformatics, which have been applied to transporters identified in diverse biological systems, such as pathogenic bacteria, plants, humans and others. Field is cutting-edge and a lot of the information is new to research community Wide breadth of topic coverage Contributors of high renown and expertise

In plant cells, the plasma membrane is a highly elaborated structure that functions as the point of exchange with adjoining cells, cell walls and the external environment. Transactions at the plasma membrane include uptake of water and essential mineral nutrients, gas exchange, movement of metabolites, transport and perception of signaling molecules, and initial responses to external biota. Selective transporters control the rates and direction of small molecule movement across the membrane barrier and manipulate the turgor that maintains plant form and drives plant cell expansion. The plasma membrane provides an environment in which molecular and macromolecular interactions are enhanced by the clustering of proteins in oligimeric complexes for more efficient retention of biosynthetic intermediates, and by the anchoring of protein complexes to promote regulatory interactions. The coupling of signal perception at the membrane surface with intracellular second messengers also involves transduction across the plasma membrane. Finally, the generation and ordering of the external cell walls involves processes mediated at the plant cell surface by the plasma membrane. This volume is divided into three sections. The first section describes the basic mechanisms that regulate all plasma membrane functions. The second describes plasma membrane transport activity. The final section of the book describes signaling interactions at the plasma membrane. These topics are given a unique treatment in this volume, as the discussions are restricted to the plasma membrane itself as much as possible. A more complete knowledge of the plasma membrane’s structure and function is essential to current efforts to increase the sustainability of agricultural production of food, fiber, and fuel crops.

This book provides with a comprehensive overview of the role of drug transporters in drug disposition and efficacy/toxicity, as well as drug-drug interactions and recent advances in the field. Transporters are known determinants of drug disposition and efficacy/toxicity. In general, they are divided into solute carrier (SLC) and ATP binding cassette (ABC) families, and are located along cell membranes, where they mediate drug uptake into cells and export out of cells. Drug transporters are essential in maintaining cell homeostasis, and their gene mutations may cause or contribute to severe human genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, neurological disease, retinal degeneration, anemia, and cholesterol and bile transport defects. Conversely, some diseases may also alter transporter functions and expressions, in turn aggravating disease process. Further, since over-expression of some ABC transporters is a potential contributor to multidrug-resistance (MDR), the book presents a number of strategies to overcome MDR, including ABC transporter inhibitors and applying epigenetic methods to modulate transporter expressions and functions. This book is useful for graduate students and professionals who are looking to refresh or expand their knowledge of this exciting field.

First discovered as fungal metabolites, the gibberellins were recognised as plant hormones over 50 years ago. They regulate reproductive development in all vascular plants, while their role in flowering plants has broadened to include also the regulation of growth and other developmental processes. This timely book covers the substantial and impressive recent advances in our understanding of the gibberellins and their roles in plant development, including the biosynthesis, inactivation, transport, perception and signal transduction of these important hormones. An introductory chapter traces the history of gibberellin research, describing the many discoveries that form the basis for the recent progress. The exciting emerging evidence for the interaction of gibberellin signalling with that of the other hormones is critically evaluated. The occurrence of gibberellins in fungal, bacterial and lower plant species is also discussed, with emphasis on evolution. Manipulation of gibberellin metabolism and signal transduction through chemical or genetic intervention has been an important aspect of crop husbandry for many years. The reader is presented with important information on the advances in applying gibberellin research in agriculture and horticulture. Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 49: The Gibberellins is an important resource for plant geneticists and biochemists, as well as agricultural and horticultural research workers, advanced students of plant science and university lecturers in related disciplines. It is an essential addition to the shelves of university and research institute libraries and agricultural and horticultural institutions teaching and researching plant science.