Plant Vacuolar Sorting: An Overview

Eukaryotic cells have developed membrane-bound organelles, connected between themselves in a complex and tightly regulated network – the endomembrane system. Despite being less well understood when compared to the animal and yeast models, plant cells have begun to reveal an intricate and dense network of endomembranes. Particularly diverse is the network of pathways revolving around the vacuole, especially when comparing plant and non-plant models. This dynamic, pleiomorphic and multifunctional organelle is essential for correct plant growth and development, compartmentalizing different components, from proteins to secondary metabolites. In this review we will provide an historical perspective of what has been discovered relating vacuolar sorting, and the potential biotech applications of such findings.