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Evolution of peroxisomes illustrates symbiogenesis

Dave Speijer1

  • 1Medical Biochemistry, Academic Medical Center (AMC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|August 8, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Newly formed peroxisomes fuse mitochondrial and ER components, challenging previous yeast-based models. This finding explains the role of mitochondria in peroxisome origins and evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Peroxisome biogenesis was previously thought to be solely ER-derived in yeast.
  • Mitochondrial involvement in peroxisome formation was not previously recognized.
  • Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has been a primary model for studying peroxisomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the origin of newly formed peroxisomes.
  • To reconcile conflicting observations on peroxisome biogenesis between yeast and mammalian cells.
  • To explore the evolutionary implications of peroxisome formation.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of peroxisome biogenesis in fibroblasts.
  • Analysis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation during fatty acid (FA) oxidation.
  • Reconstruction of evolutionary pathways.

Main Results:

  • Newly formed peroxisomes are hybrids of mitochondrial and ER-derived pre-peroxisomes.
  • Mitochondrial involvement explains the reduction of ROS during FA oxidation.
  • The absence of mitochondrial involvement in yeast is linked to its derived metabolism.

Conclusions:

  • Peroxisome biogenesis involves both mitochondrial and ER contributions.
  • Evolutionary adaptations, particularly in yeast metabolism, explain model system differences.
  • Peroxisomes represent a key eukaryotic innovation driven by endosymbiotic events.
Keywords:
FADH2/NADH ratiobeta-oxidationperoxisome evolutionreverse electron transport (RET)symbiogenesis

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