β-COP mutants show specific high sensitivity to chloride ions

Coat Protein I (COPI) consists of a complex (coatomer) formed by seven subunits (alpha-, beta-, beta'-, gamma-, delta-, epsilon-, and zeta-COP) that is recruited to Golgi membranes to form vesicles that shuttle from the Golgi apparatus to the ER and between Golgi stacks. Recently, it has been described that loss of function mutants of the two Arabidopsis beta-COP genes, beta 1-COP and beta 2-COP, showed increased sensitivity to salt stress (NaCl). Using a mixture of either Na+ or Cl- salts, we have now found that beta-COP mutants are specifically and highly sensitive to chloride ions.

Automated summary

COPI complex formed by seven subunits is recruited to Golgi membranes to shuttle vesicles between Golgi apparatus and ER. Mutants of Arabidopsis beta-COP genes show increased sensitivity to chloride ions when exposed to Na+ or Cl- salts.