Keep in contact : multiple roles of endoplasmic reticulum-membrane contact sites and the organelle interaction network in plants

Functional regulation and structural maintenance of the different organelles in plants contribute directly to plant development, reproduction and stress responses. To ensure these activities take place effectively, cells have evolved an inter-connected network amongst various subcellular compartments, regulating rapid signal transduction and the exchange of biomaterial. Many proteins that regulate membrane connections have recently been identified in plants and this is the first step in elucidating both the mechanism and function of these connections. Amongst all organelles, the endoplasmic reticulum is the key structure which likely links most of the different subcellular compartments through membrane contact sites (MCS) and the ER-PM contact sites (EPCS) have been the most intensely studied in plants. However, the molecular composition and function of plant MCS are being found to be different from other eukaryotic systems. In this article, we will summarize the most recent advances in this field, and discuss the mechanism and biological relevance of these essential links in plants.