Fatty acid degradation in plant peroxisomes: function and biosynthesis of the enzymes involved

In plants, the fatty acid oxidation enzyme apparatus is exclusively located within glyoxysomes or peroxisomes. Following the formation of the CoA-ester, the machinery for the degradation of endogenous fatty acids consists of acyl-CoA oxidase, D-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA hydrolyase, 2,3-enoyl-CoA isomerase, isoenzymes of the multifunctional protein and thiolase. The multiple location of particular enzyme activities on different species of protein is discussed in detail. In cucumber cotyledons, the multifunctional protein exhibits a C-terminal targeting signal, -PRM like other glyoxysomal or leaf peroxisomal proteins. In contrast, proteolytic modification takes place at the N-terminus of thiolase and malate dehydrogenase. Thus, distinct mechanisms are envisaged to take place during the transfer of the cytosolic precursor into glyoxysomes prior to the intra-organellar assembly of the mature enzyme.