Mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades in Vitis vinifera.

Protein phosphorylation is one of the most important mechanisms to control cellular functions in response to external and endogenous signals. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are universal signaling molecules in eukaryotes that mediate the intracellular transmission of extracellular signals resulting in the induction of appropriate cellular responses. MAPK cascades are composed of four protein kinase modules: MAPKKK kinases (MAPKKKKs), MAPKK kinases (MAPKKKs), MAPK kinases (MAPKKs), and MAPKs.

Bax Inhibitor-1 inhibits cell death induced by pokeweed antiviral protein in .

Apoptosis is an active form of programmed cell death (PCD) that plays critical roles in the development, differentiation and resistance to pathogens in multicellular organisms. Ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) are able to induce apoptotic cell death in mammalian cells. In this study, using yeast as a model system, we showed that yeast cells expressing pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), a single-chain ribosome-inactivating protein, exhibit apoptotic-like features, such as nuclear fragmentation and ROS production.

Whole-genome survey of the putative ATP-binding cassette transporter family genes in Vitis vinifera.

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein superfamily constitutes one of the largest protein families known in plants. In this report, we performed a complete inventory of ABC protein genes in Vitis vinifera, the whole genome of which has been sequenced. By comparison with ABC protein members of Arabidopsis thaliana, we identified 135 putative ABC proteins with 1 or 2 NBDs in V.

Bax induces activation of the unfolded protein response by inducing HAC1 mRNA splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Bax, a multidomain pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it regulates ER stress-induced apoptosis. Adaptation to ER stress depends on the activation of an integrated signal transduction pathway known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). This study examined the death-inducing activity of Bax and its ability to induce UPR signalling pathways in yeast.

VvHT1 encodes a monosaccharide transporter expressed in the conducting complex of the grape berry phloem.

The accumulation of sugars in grape berries requires the co-ordinate expression of sucrose transporters, invertases, and monosaccharide transporters. A monosaccharide transporter homologue (VvHT1, Vitis vinifera hexose transporter 1) has previously been isolated from grape berries at the veraison stage, and its expression was shown to be regulated by sugars and abscisic acid. The present work investigates the function and localization of VvHT1.

A grape ASR protein involved in sugar and abscisic acid signaling.

The function of ASR (ABA [abscisic acid]-, stress-, and ripening-induced) proteins remains unknown. A grape ASR, VvMSA, was isolated by means of a yeast one-hybrid approach using as a target the proximal promoter of a grape putative monosaccharide transporter (VvHT1). This promoter contains two sugar boxes, and its activity is induced by sucrose and glucose.