Synaptotagmin1 regulates membrane fusion events that are essential for abiotic stress tolerance in plants

Plants undergo continuous exposure to various abiotic stresses in their natural environment. For this reason they have evolved intricate mechanisms to perceive external signals and trigger the physiological changes necessary to adapt and survive under such conditions. The plasma membrane is a physical barrier that separates the intracellular and extracellular environments and its integrity is essential for stress tolerance. Here we present a role for plant synaptotagmins in plasma membrane integrity maintenance through Vesicle-PM fusions. We also evaluate the physiological consequences of the SYT depletion under several abiotic stress conditionsUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. This work has been supported by Spanish Ministry of Economy and competitivity FPI-BES 2012 -052324 and the Marie Curie FP7 People Action IIF-FP7 30141