Rapid peroxisomal responses to ROS suggest an alternative mechanistic model for post-biogenesis peroxisomal life cycle in plants

Abstract

Plants adapt to and survive in some of the harshest environments. Their success can be ascribed to an ability to maintain an optimal subcellular redox environment. Peroxisomes, ubiquitous ROS producing and scavenging organelles in eukaryotes play an important role in cellular homeostasis. Recently the formation of thin membrane extensions called peroxules has provided further evidence for peroxisomal role in rapidly sensing and responding to alterations in subcellular ROS. Within a cell the transient extension and retraction of peroxules is asynchronous but takes place within seconds. Peroxules follow tracks defined by tubules of the endoplasmic reticulum and their formation does not appear to involve an elaborate transcriptional-translational machinery. Rather the rapidity of peroxisomal responses suggests ROS instigated membrane modifications aimed at local ROS scavenging or leading to peroxisome elongation prior to their fission for increasing peroxisome numbers within a cell. A model on post-biogenesis peroxisomal life-cycle taking cognizance of rapid peroxisomal responses is presented. ©2009 Landes Bioscience.