P. Munoz et al., EVIDENCE FOR A UDP-GLUCOSE TRANSPORTER IN GOLGI APPARATUS-DERIVED VESICLES FROM PEA AND ITS POSSIBLE ROLE IN POLYSACCHARIDE BIOSYNTHESIS, Plant physiology, 112(4), 1996, pp. 1585-1594
The Golgi apparatus in plant cells is involved in hemicellulose and pe
ctin biosynthesis. While it is known that glucan synthase I is respons
ible for the formation of beta-1-4-linked glucose (Glc) polymers and u
ses UDP-Glc as a substrate, very little is known about the topography
of reactions leading to the biosynthesis of polysaccharides in this or
ganelle. We isolated from pea (Pisum sativum) stems a fraction highly
enriched in Golgi apparatus-derived vesicles that are sealed and have
the same topographical orientation that the membranes have in vivo. Us
ing these vesicles and UDP-Glc, we reconstituted polysaccharide biosyn
thesis in vitro and found evidence for a luminal location of the activ
e site of glucan synthase I. In addition, we identified a UDP-Glc tran
sport activity, which is likely to be involved in supplying substrate
for glucan synthase I. We found that UDP-Glc transport is protein medi
ated. Moreover, our results suggest that UDP-Glc transport is coupled
to the exit of a luminal uridine-containing nucleotide via an antiport
er mechanism. We suggest that UDP-Glc is transported into the lumen of
Golgi and that Glc is transferred to a polysaccharide chain, whereas
the nucleotide moiety leaves the vesicle by an antiporter mechanism.