Peroxisomes are eukaryotic organelles that are essential for life in plants and metazoans. Peroxisomes sequester various oxidative reactions, including those acting fatty acid beta-oxidation, photorespiration, and hormone biosynthesis, thereby improving metabolic efficiency while protecting cytosolic constituents from oxidative damage. Although our knowledge of peroxisome function and dysfunction is increasing, mechanistic understanding of how these critical organelles are dispose of individual proteins or are degraded in their entirety remains incomplete. We are studying the dynamics of this vital organelle in Arabidopsis thaliana; the peroxisomal functions, small size, and facile genetics of this reference plant allow straightforward impairment and enhancement of peroxisomal processes in an intact multicellular organism. Moreover, the relatively large size of plant peroxisomes (compared to yeast and mammalian peroxisomes) offers unique opportunities to view peroxisome dynamics using live-cell imaging. Using forward-genetic screens for Arabidopsis mutants defective in the biogenesis, function, or maintenance of peroxisomes, we have illuminated a variety of peroxisomal components, including a peroxisomal protease that prevents peroxisome degradation via autophagy.
Support or Funding Information
This research is supported by the National Institutes of Health (R35GM130338) and the Robert A. Welch Foundation (C-1309).
lt;pgt;This research is supported by the National Institutes of Health (R35GM130338) and the Robert A. Welch Foundation (C-1309).lt;/pgt;
