Conventional and Novel Functions of the Exocyst Complex in Plants

Exocyst is an octameric protein complex, conserved across all Eukaryotes. Its role, originally described in yeast, resides in a tethering of the secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane prior to the membrane fusion of the two membranes. Subunits SEC3 and EXO70 are believed to be spatial landmarks for the vesicles delivery. While yeast genome encodes single EXO70, we find dozens of them in land plants (23 in Arabidopsis). This work is focused at a role of the exocyst complex in plant cells. Its first part documents, that exocyst is essential for delivery of the cell wall components, namely pectins, but also for pathogen induced secondary cell wall thickening. Second part reveals an unconventional role of EXO70B1 subunit harboring exocyst subcomplex at an autophagic pathway to the vacuole and raises many questions about plant secretory pathway