In the two decades since the last comprehensive work on plant peroxisomes appeared, the scientific approaches employed in the study of plant biology have changed beyond all recognition. The accelerating pace of plant research in the post-genomic era is leading us to appreciate that peroxisomes have many important roles in plant cells, including reserve mobilisation, nitrogen assimilation, defence against stress, and metabolism of plant hormones, which are vital for productivity and normal plant development. Many plant scientists are finding, and will no doubt continue to find, that their own area of research is connected in some way to peroxisomes. Written by the leading experts in the field, this book surveys peroxisomal metabolic pathways, protein targeting and biogenesis of the organelle and prospects for the manipulation of peroxisomal function for biotechnological purposes. It aims to draw together the current state of the art as a convenient starting point for anyone, student or researcher, who wishes to know about plant peroxisomes.

This new edited volume in the Springer Subcellular Biochemistry Series presents a comprehensive, state-of-the-art overview of the proteomics of peroxisomes derived from mammalian, Drosophila, fungal, and plant origin, and contains contributions from leading experts in the field. The development of sensitive proteomics and mass spectrometry technologies, combined with bioinformatics approaches now allow the identification of low-abundance and transient peroxisomal proteins and permits to identify the complete proteome of peroxisomes, with the consequent increase of our knowledge of the metabolic and regulatory networks of these important cellular organelles. The book lines-up with these developments and is organized in four sections including: (i) mass spectrometry-based organelle proteomics; (ii) prediction of peroxisomal proteomes; (iii) analysis of peroxisome proteome interaction networks; and (iv) peroxisomes in relation to other subcellular compartments. The editor Luis A. del Río is Professor ad honorem of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in the Group of Antioxidants, Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Department of Biochemistry and Cell & Molecular Biology of Plants, at the Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Granada, Spain. Del Río’s research group focuses on the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and antioxidants in plant peroxisomes, and the ROS- and RNS-dependent role of peroxisomes in plant cell signalling. The editor Michael Schrader is Professor of Cell Biology & Cytopathology in the Department of Biosciences at the University of Exeter, UK. Using mammalian peroxisomes as model organelles, Prof. Schrader and his team aim to unravel the molecular machinery and signalling pathways that mediate and regulate the formation, dynamics and abundance of these medically relevant cellular compartments.

Provides an update on several new aspects of peroxisome biology, including the role of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor. The book covers morphilogical, biochemical and molecular biological aspects of peroxisomes.

Eukaryotic cells contain a plurality of organelles distinguished by their specific membranes and contents. Their biogenesis occurs by growth and division of preexisting structures rather than de novo. Mitochondria and chloroplasts, which appear to be descended from prokaryotic ancestors, have retained some DNA and the biosynthetic capability for its expression. They synthesize, however, only a few of their proteins themselves. Most of their proteins are synthesized on free ribosomes in the cytoplasm and are only assembled in the correct membrane after synthesis is complete. The biogenesis of peroxisomes and glyoxysomes also appears to occur by an incorporation of proteins synthesized first in the cytoplasm. Other organelles, the Golgi complex, lysosomes, secretory vesicles, and the plasma membrane, are formed in a different manner. Their proteins are assembled in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum during trans lation by bound ribosomes and they must then be transported to the correct membrane. The 1980 Mosbach Colloquium was one of the first attempts to discuss the biogenesis of the various organelles in biochemical terms. This was appropriate since the crucial problems now center on the search for signals and receptors that dictate the site of assembly, the route taken, and the final location of a particular organelle protein. The assembly of prokaryotic membranes and the membrane of an animal virus were also discussed, since these simpler systems might shed light on the biogenesis of organelles in eukaryotes.