Peroxisome proliferation: Vesicles, reticulons and ER-to-peroxisome contact sites

Abstract

Peroxisomes originate from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and can propagate via a growth and division process. Regulation of peroxisome proliferation has to be stringently controlled by the cell to guarantee that the number of peroxisomes per cell fits the metabolic requirements. Such regulation is achieved through coordination of de novo biogenesis, growth/division, inheritance, and degradation. In this review, I will focus on the role of the ER in the regulation of peroxisome maintenance. I will depict the assembly of components involved in peroxisome proliferation and their intimate interaction with ER resident proteins. Similar to other organelles, peroxisomes are in constant interaction with the rest of the cell. The formation of high molecular weight complexes between ER membrane proteins and proteins regulating peroxisome abundance highlights an important crosstalk between the two organelles. Finally, I propose a role for ER-to-peroxisome contacts sites (EPCONS) in the coordination of peroxisome proliferation.