Cell and molecular biology of ATP-binding cassette proteins in plants.

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins constitute a large and diverse superfamily of membrane-bound and soluble proteins, which are involved in a wide range of biological processes in all organisms from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Genome analyses of model plants, for example, Arabidopsis and rice, have revealed that plants have more than double numbers of this family member in their genomes compared to animals and insects. In recent years, various biochemical and physiological functions of ABC proteins in plants have been reported. Some are relevant for the defense mechanisms to biotic and abiotic stresses, whereas others are involved in the basic functions necessary for maintaining the plant life. Here, we provide an updated inventory of plant ABC proteins and summarize their tissue specificities, membrane localizations, and physiological functions.