A role for mRNA trafficking and localized translation in peroxisome biogenesis and function?

Peroxisomes are distinct membrane-enclosed organelles involved in the β-oxidation of fatty acids and synthesis of ether phospholipids (e.g. plasmalogens), as well as cholesterol and its derivatives (e.g. bile acids). Peroxisomes comprise a distinct and highly segregated subset of cellular proteins, including those of the peroxisome membrane and the interior matrix, and while the mechanisms of protein import into peroxisomes have been extensively studied, they are not fully understood. Here we will examine the potential role of RNA trafficking and localized translation on protein import into peroxisomes and its role in peroxisome biogenesis and function. Given that RNAs encoding peroxisome biogenesis (PEX) and matrix proteins have been found in association with the endoplasmic reticulum and peroxisomes, it suggests that localized translation may play a significant role in the import pathways of these different peroxisomal constituents.