ESCRT-dependent degradation of ubiquitylated plasma membrane proteins in plants

•(Poly)ubiquitylation is a signal for vacuolar degradation of PM proteins.•ESCRTs are key to sorting and degradation of ubiquitylated cargo.•ESCRTs are essential for various aspects of plant physiology.

To control the abundance of plasma membrane receptors and transporters is crucial for proper perception and response to extracellular signals from surrounding cells and the environment. Posttranslational modification of plasma membrane proteins, especially ubiquitin conjugation or ubiquitylation, is key for the determination of stability for many transmembrane proteins localized on the cell surface. The targeted degradation is ensured by a complex network of proteins among which the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) plays a central role. This review focuses on progresses made in recent years on the understanding of the function of the ESCRT machinery in the degradation of ubiquitylated plasma membrane proteins in plants.