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Peroxisomes are specialized organelles present in fungi, plant, and animal cells. It can vary in number, size, morphology, and activity depending on the type of tissue and the nutritional state of the cell. For example, cells with active lipid metabolism, such as adipocytes, neurons, and hepatocytes, have more peroxisomes than other cells in the body. Besides their primary role in breaking down complex organic molecules, peroxisomes can also synthesize specific macromolecules and participate in...
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Cells contain membrane-bound organelles called peroxisomes that oxidize organic molecules by transferring hydrogen atoms to oxygen, producing hydrogen peroxide. Peroxisomes enzymatically convert the released hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.
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Peroxisomes and mitochondria are two important oxygen-utilizing organelles in eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration—the process that converts energy from food into ATP. Peroxisomes carry out a variety of functions, primarily breaking down different substances, such as fatty acids.
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Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
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Peroxisomes in parasitic protists.

Toni Gabaldón1, Michael L Ginger2, Paul A M Michels3

  • 1Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.

Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology
|February 21, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Peroxisomes, originating from the endoplasmic reticulum, show diverse functions across eukaryotes. Their presence and metabolic roles in protists vary significantly, offering potential for anti-parasitic drug discovery.

Keywords:
EvolutionFatty-acid metabolismMetabolic diversityPeroxide metabolismPeroxisomeProtist

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Peroxisomes are conserved organelles across eukaryotes, originating from the endoplasmic reticulum.
  • Despite shared origins, peroxisomes exhibit diverse enzyme content and metabolic functions, influenced by environmental and developmental factors.
  • Lipid metabolism, particularly fatty-acid oxidation, is a key ancestral function of peroxisomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the diversity of peroxisomes in protists, including free-living and parasitic species.
  • To explore the evolutionary pathways and metabolic roles of peroxisomes in different eukaryotic lineages.
  • To identify potential therapeutic targets in parasitic protists based on peroxisome essentiality.

Main Methods:

  • Bioinformatic analysis of peroxisomal content in various protist groups.
  • Comparative analysis of peroxisome biogenesis and enzyme localization.
  • Literature review on peroxisome function in different protist niches.

Main Results:

  • Peroxisomes display striking diversity in enzyme content and metabolic roles among protists.
  • Some protists, like kinetoplastids, compartmentalize glycolysis/gluconeogenesis within peroxisomes (glycosomes).
  • Peroxisome presence and function correlate with protist lifestyles, niches, and nutrient availability, with some lineages having lost the organelle.

Conclusions:

  • Peroxisome evolution in protists is characterized by significant divergence, including loss and acquisition of metabolic functions.
  • The unique metabolic roles of peroxisomes in certain parasitic protists, such as trypanosomatids, present opportunities for drug development.
  • Further research into protist peroxisomes is crucial for understanding eukaryotic evolution and identifying novel therapeutic strategies.