Mechanisms of peroxisomal biogenesis and function

In our first study characterizing mitochondrial derived vesicles we uncovered a new link between mitochondria and peroxisomes. We showed that MDVs can carry peroxisomal membrane proteins to a subpopulation of peroxisomes. In trying to understand the functional importance of this vesicle transport route we learned that many peroxisomal proteins can target mitochondria when peroxisomes are absent. MDVs are generated in these cells that sort these peroxisomal proteins into larger vesicles that then fuse with ER derived vesicles carrying a second set of peroxisomal proteins. This fusion event unites the machineries of peroxisomal protein import, thereby generating functional peroxisomes capable of growth and division to repopulate the cell. These studies opened the door to a host of new and exciting questions about the mechanisms that regulate these processes, the function of steady state MDV transport to peroxisomes as part of biogenesis pathways, and much more.