The plant vacuole : a multifunctional compartment

Abstract

The central vacuole often fills more than 80-90% of mature plant cells. Vacuoles of many cells are employed as an «intermediate storage compartment» for ions, sugars, amino acids and a regular exchange/transport of these compounds between cytosol and vacuoles takes place, such as in sugar cane cells or in CAM plants. Other vacuoles serve as more permanent sites, such as those for storage or defence proteins and allelochemicals. A typical feature of plants and other sessile organisms is the production of secondary metabolites (allelochemicals), which can be considered as chemical defence compounds against herbivores or microorganisms and thus important for the fitness of plants