Plant cell wall glycoproteins and their genes

At least two main groups of glycoproteins can be distinguished in plant cel l walls: extensins which are insoluble cell wall proteins; and soluble arab inogalactan proteins (AGPs) which have a high carbohydrate content such tha t protein content constitutes in some cases only 5 % of the glycoprotein we ight. These two groups of proteins together with other cell wall proteins m ore or less glycosylated, such as proline-rich proteins (PRPs), hybrid PRP (HyPRPs) and expansins, are reviewed and compared with similar proteins pre sent in other cell compartments. Different patterns of N- or O-glycosylatio n are analysed. In some cases, these cell wall proteins or proteins related to them present patterns of glycosylation that act as epitopes recognizabl e by IgE in allergic responses. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicale s Elsevier SAS.