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Common functions or only phylogenetically related? The large family of PLAC8 motif-containing/PCR genes

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Molecules and Cells

Abstract

PLAC8 motif-containing proteins form a large family and members can be found in fungi, algae, higher plants and animals. They include the PCR proteins of plants. The name giving PLAC8 domain was originally found in a protein residing in the spongiotrophoblast layer of the placenta of mammals. A further motif found in a large number of these proteins including several PCR proteins is the CCXXXXCPC or CLXXXXCPC motif. Despite their wide distribution our knowledge about the function of these proteins is very limited. For most of them two membrane-spanning α-helices are predicted, indicating that they are membrane associated or membrane intrinsic proteins. In plants PLAC8 motif-containing proteins have been described to be implicated in two very different functions. On one hand, it has been shown that they are involved in the determination of fruit size and cell number. On the other hand, two members of this family, AtPCR1 and AtPCR2 play an important role in transport of heavy metals such as cadmium or zinc. Transport experiments and approaches to model the 3_D structure of these proteins indicate that they could act as transporters for these divalent cations by forming homomultimers. In this minireview we discuss the present knowledge about this protein family and try to give an outlook on how to integrate the different proposed functions into a common picture about the role of PLAC8 motif-containing proteins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Plant Biology, University Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Won-Yong Song, Stefan Hörtensteiner, Rie Tomioka & Enrico Martinoia

  2. POSTECH-UZH Cooperative Laboratory, Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biotechnology World Class University Program, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 790-784, Korea

    Won-Yong Song, Youngsook Lee & Enrico Martinoia

  3. Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan

    Rie Tomioka

Authors
  1. Won-Yong Song
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  2. Stefan Hörtensteiner
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  3. Rie Tomioka
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  4. Youngsook Lee
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  5. Enrico Martinoia
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Correspondence to Enrico Martinoia.

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Song, WY., Hörtensteiner, S., Tomioka, R. et al. Common functions or only phylogenetically related? The large family of PLAC8 motif-containing/PCR genes. Mol Cells 31, 1–7 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-011-0024-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-011-0024-8

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