Paper · 2026 · PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

Molecular insights into the production of extracellular vesicles by plants

Benjamin L Koch; Dillon Gardner; Hannah Smith; et al.

8
claims
14
verbatim quotes
4
citations
2
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) produced by Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants are highly heterogeneous in protein content. To understand the origins of plant EV heterogeneity, we used an unbiased proximity labeling approach to identify proteins and pathways involved in the secretion of distinct EV subpopulations. Proximity labeling, co-immunoprecipitation, and fluorescence microscopy in Nicotiana benthamiana all indicated a general role in EV secretion for EXO70 proteins (a subunit of the exocyst complex) and the immune-related protein RPM1-INTERACTING PROTEIN4 (RIN4). To confirm these hypotheses, we assessed the impact of mutations in various EXO70 family genes and in RIN4 on EV release, as well as mutations in additional genes known to regulate endomembrane trafficking and secretion. Mutation of EXO70E1, EXO70E2 or STOMATAL CYTOKINESIS DEFECTIVE1 (SCD1; a GTP-exchange factor for RabE GTPases) reduced secretion of EVs marked by TETRASPANIN8 (TET8), PENETRATION1 (PEN1), and PATELLIN1 (PATL1), indicating that these proteins are generally required for EV secretion. In contrast, mutation of RIN4 reduced levels of TET8+ and PEN1+ EVs, but not PATL + EVs. Mutation of the small GTPase gene RABA2a specifically affected PEN1+ EV secretion, while mutations in AUTOPHAGY PROTEIN5 (ATG5) and VAMP-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN27 (VAP27) specifically affected TET8+ EV secretion. Lastly, we found that exo70 family mutants are more susceptible to infection with the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum higginsianum, underlining the importance of secretion for plant immunity. Together, our results unravel some of the complex mechanisms that give rise to EV subpopulations in plants.

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Claims 8

Mechanismauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Proximity labeling, co-immunoprecipitation and fluorescence microscopy in Nicotiana benthamiana indicated a general role of EXO70 proteins in EV secretion.

Taxon
Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae1
Gene
EXO70 proteinse1
Outcome
EV secretione1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Nicotiana benthamiana
Nicotiana benthamiana · TaxonCharles Andres · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“fluorescence microscopy in Nicotiana benthamiana all indicated a general role in EV secretion for EXO70 proteins (a subunit of the exocyst complex) and the immune-related protein RPM1-INTERACTING PROTEIN4 (RIN4)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 368–579 · show in text ↑
Mechanismauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Proximity labeling, co-immunoprecipitation and fluorescence microscopy in Nicotiana benthamiana indicated a general role of RIN4 in EV secretion.

Taxon
Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae1
Gene
RPM1-INTERACTING PROTEIN4 (RIN4)e1
Outcome
EV secretione1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Nicotiana benthamiana
Nicotiana benthamiana · TaxonCharles Andres · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“fluorescence microscopy in Nicotiana benthamiana all indicated a general role in EV secretion for EXO70 proteins (a subunit of the exocyst complex) and the immune-related protein RPM1-INTERACTING PROTEIN4 (RIN4)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 368–579 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mutation of EXO70E1, EXO70E2 or SCD1 reduced secretion of TET8-, PEN1- and PATL1-marked EVs in Arabidopsis.

Taxon
ArabidopsisArabidopsise0
Treatment
Mutation of EXO70E1, EXO70E2 or STOMATAL CYTOKINESIS DEFECTIVE1e1
Gene
EXO70E1, EXO70E2 or STOMATAL CYTOKINESIS DEFECTIVE1e1
Outcome
secretion of EVse1
Direction
reducede1

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Arabidopsis
Arabidopsis · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Original uploader was Brona at en.wikipedia . User:Roepers at nl.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 41–75 · show in text ↑
e1

“Mutation of EXO70E1, EXO70E2 or STOMATAL CYTOKINESIS DEFECTIVE1 (SCD1; a GTP-exchange factor for RabE GTPases) reduced secretion of EVs marked by TETRASPANIN8 (TET8), PENETRATION1 (PEN1), and PATELLIN1 (PATL1)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 802–1011 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mutation of RIN4 reduced levels of TET8+ and PEN1+ EVs in Arabidopsis.

Taxon
ArabidopsisArabidopsise0
Treatment
mutation of RIN4e1
Gene
RIN4e1
Outcome
levels of TET8+ and PEN1+ EVse1
Direction
reducede1

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Arabidopsis
Arabidopsis · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Original uploader was Brona at en.wikipedia . User:Roepers at nl.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 41–75 · show in text ↑
e1

“mutation of RIN4 reduced levels of TET8+ and PEN1+ EVs”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1098–1152 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mutation of RIN4 did not reduce levels of PATL+ EVs in Arabidopsis.

Taxon
ArabidopsisArabidopsise0
Treatment
mutation of RIN4e1
Gene
RIN4e1
Outcome
PATL + EVse1
Direction
no_changeinferrede1

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Arabidopsis
Arabidopsis · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Original uploader was Brona at en.wikipedia . User:Roepers at nl.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 41–75 · show in text ↑
e1

“mutation of RIN4 reduced levels of TET8+ and PEN1+ EVs, but not PATL + EVs”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1098–1172 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mutation of the small GTPase gene RABA2a specifically affected PEN1+ EV secretion in Arabidopsis.

Taxon
ArabidopsisArabidopsise0
Treatment
Mutation of the small GTPase gene RABA2ae1
Gene
RABA2ae1
Outcome
PEN1+ EV secretione1

Not reportedComparatorDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Arabidopsis
Arabidopsis · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Original uploader was Brona at en.wikipedia . User:Roepers at nl.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 41–75 · show in text ↑
e1

“Mutation of the small GTPase gene RABA2a specifically affected PEN1+ EV secretion”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1174–1255 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Mutations in ATG5 and VAP27 specifically affected TET8+ EV secretion in Arabidopsis.

Taxon
ArabidopsisArabidopsise0
Treatment
mutations in AUTOPHAGY PROTEIN5 (ATG5) and VAMP-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN27 (VAP27)e1
Gene
AUTOPHAGY PROTEIN5 (ATG5) and VAMP-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN27 (VAP27)e1
Outcome
TET8+ EV secretione1

Not reportedComparatorDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Arabidopsis
Arabidopsis · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Original uploader was Brona at en.wikipedia . User:Roepers at nl.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 41–75 · show in text ↑
e1

“mutations in AUTOPHAGY PROTEIN5 (ATG5) and VAMP-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN27 (VAP27) specifically affected TET8+ EV secretion”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1263–1380 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

exo70 family mutants were more susceptible to infection with the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum higginsianum.

Taxon
ArabidopsisArabidopsise0
Material
exo70 family mutantse1
Interactor
Colletotrichum higginsianumColletotrichum higginsianume1pathogen
Outcome
susceptible to infectione1
Direction
moree1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Arabidopsis
Arabidopsis · Taxon · picture of the genus (one of its species)Original uploader was Brona at en.wikipedia . User:Roepers at nl.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 41–75 · show in text ↑
e1

“exo70 family mutants are more susceptible to infection with the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum higginsianum”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1404–1511 · show in text ↑