Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Traffic

The study of membrane traffic in reconstituted cell-freesystems has generated an unprecedented amount of newinformation on the biochemistry, molecular biology andgenetics of membrane-based molecular events that underlynormal and abnormal cellular function. Many of theindividual steps have now been isolated and dissected insimple systems that permit detailed molecular analyses oftransport mechanisms and their regulation. Reconstitutedevents of intercompartment transfer include inter-membranerecognition and controlled membrane fusion-fissionreactions.Provided here is an account of the current literature andbasic approaches to the investigation of the molecularmechanisms of membrane traffic in both animal and plantcells.Major focus is on the presentation and interpretationof new data that provide, for the first time, a detailedpicture of the molecular events of membrane traffic and itscontrol.