Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (7): 60-68.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2024-0947

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Research Progress in Adaptor Protein Complex TPC in Plants

WANG Yu-tong1,2,3(), ZHANG Ying-hui1,2, XU Mei4, YAN Xu4(), ZHAO Fei-yi1,2(), TIAN Dan5   

  1. 1.School of Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui 741001
    2.Institute of Sulfur Biotechnology, Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui 741001
    3.Gansu Key Laboratory of Utilization of Agricultural Solid Waste Resources, Tianshui 741001
    4.School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000
    5.College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642
  • Received:2024-09-28 Online:2025-07-26 Published:2025-07-22
  • Contact: YAN Xu, ZHAO Fei-yi E-mail:yt_wang2023@163.com;yanxu@usx.edu.cn;tspaulzhao@tsnu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a predominant endocytic pathway for plasma membrane (PM) protein internalization in eukaryotic cells. In plants, CME is essential for growth and developmental processes, nutrient uptake, transduction between extra- and intra-cellular signals, polar auxin transport, and stress responses. Although clathrin is the core protein of the CME process, it lacks a transmembrane domain and relies on adaptor proteins to be recruited to the PM. It is known that the PM recruitment of clathrin mainly depends on the adaptor protein complex AP-2 in animal and plant cells. However, an increasing number of evidences on plant adaptor protein complexes show that there is also an evolutionary ancient adaptor protein complex TPC (TPLATE complex) in plants, which plays a critical role in plant growth and development as well as CME processes. In this review, we briefly introduce the composition, structure, and evolutionary history of TPC in plants. Then we analyze the domains of TPC subunits. Furthermore, we summarize the biological functions of TPC. Finally, we prospect the research on TPC in plant endocytosis and growth and development, aiming to provide new ideas and insights for understanding and clarifying the molecular mechanism of plant TPC in endocytic transport.

Key words: adaptor protein complex, TPC (TPLATE complex), clathrin, endocytosis