Staying in Healthy Contact: How Peroxisomes Interact with Other Cell Organelles (2023)

Fungal bulking is caused by fungi excessive growth and morphological changes, resulting from the evolution toward fungi dominant activated sludge. Communication across fungi and bacteria boundary that mediated by bacterial signal molecules (SMs) probably is the central induce caused fungal bulking occurrence. In this work, it intended to identify the bacterial SM that affected fungal bulking, and verified its roles in regulate the spore germination and hyphal growth. We found C12-HSL concentration decreased significantly from 12.36 to 3.38 ng/g-VSS (P<0.05) when fungal sludge bulking happened, and filamentous Galactomyces's relatively abundant was correlatively enriched. To test the effects of this SM, trace commercial C12-HSL was added to pure cultured Galactomyces, in which spore germination rates decreased by 20% and hyphal extension inhibited by 15%. Ras1-cAMP-PKA and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways of Galactomyces were responsible for signal C12-HSL transduction, which inhibited peroxisome biosynthesis, suppressed the biological activity of the actin cytoskeleton, and disrupted intercellular organelle transport. All these results showed C12-HSL was the functional SM that could suppress the development of fungal filamentous. This study provided a new insight into the sludge bulking mechanism from view of cross-kingdom communication.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with a variety of human diseases including neurodegeneration, diabetes, nonalcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and cancer, but its underlying causes are incompletely understood. Using the human hepatic cell line HepG2 as a model, we show here that endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD), an ER protein quality control process, is critically required for mitochondrial function in mammalian cells. Pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of key proteins involved in ERAD increased cell death under both basal conditions and in response to proinflammatory cytokines, a situation frequently found in NAFLD. Decreased viability of ERAD-deficient HepG2 cells was traced to impaired mitochondrial functions including reduced ATP production, enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and increased mitochondrial outer membrane permeability. Transcriptome profiling revealed widespread down-regulation of genes underpinning mitochondrial functions, and up-regulation of genes associated with tumor growth and aggression. These results highlight a critical role for ERAD in maintaining mitochondrial functional and structural integrity and raise the possibility of improving cellular and organismal mitochondrial function via enhancing cellular ERAD capacity.

Membrane-bound organelles in eukaryotic cells form an interactive network to coordinate and facilitate cellular functions. The formation of close contacts, termed “membrane contact sites” (MCSs), represents an intriguing strategy for organelle interaction and coordinated interplay. Emerging research is rapidly revealing new details of MCSs. They represent ubiquitous and diverse structures, which are important for many aspects of cell physiology and homeostasis. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the physiological relevance of organelle contacts. We focus on mitochondria, peroxisomes, the Golgi complex and the plasma membrane, and discuss the most recent findings on their interactions with other subcellular organelles and their multiple functions, including membrane contacts with the ER, lipid droplets and the endosomal/lysosomal compartment.

Trends in Molecular Medicine, Volume 26, Issue 2, 2020, pp. 215-231

Spermatogenesis is supported by intricate crosstalk between Sertoli cells and germ cells including spermatogonia, spermatocytes, haploid spermatids, and spermatozoa, which takes place in the epithelium of seminiferous tubules. Sertoli cells, also known as ‘mother’ or ‘nurse’ cells, provide nutrients, paracrine factors, cytokines, and other biomolecules to support germ cell development. Sertoli cells facilitate the generation of several biologically active peptides, which include F5-, noncollagenous 1 (NC1)-, and laminin globular (LG)3/4/5-peptide, to modulate cellular events across the epithelium. Here, we critically evaluate the involvement of these peptides in facilitating crosstalk between Sertoli and germ cells to support spermatogenesis and thus fertility. Modulating or mimicking the activity of F5-, NC1-, and LG3/4/5-peptide could be used to enhance the transport across the blood–testis barrier (BTB) of contraceptive drugs or to treat male infertility.

The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Volume 50, 2014, pp. 55-59

Cellular organelles do not function as isolated or static units, but rather form dynamic contacts between one another that can be modulated according to cellular needs. The physical interfaces between organelles are important for Ca²⁺ and lipid homeostasis, and serve as platforms for the control of many essential functions including metabolism, signaling, organelle integrity and execution of the apoptotic program. Emerging evidence also highlights the importance of organelle communication in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, cancer, skeletal and cardiac muscle dysfunction. Here, we provide an overview of the current literature on organelle communication and the link to human pathologies.

Trends in Biochemical Sciences, Volume 46, Issue 3, 2021, pp. 200-212

Despite major advances in our understanding of players and mechanisms involved in peroxisome biogenesis and peroxisome degradation, very few studies have focused on unraveling the multi-layered connections between, and the coordination of, these two opposing processes that regulate peroxisome homeostasis. The intersection between these processes also provides exciting avenues for future research. This review highlights the links between peroxisome biogenesis and degradation, incorporating an integrative approach that is critical not only for a mechanistic understanding, but also for manipulating the balance between these processes in relevant disease models.

The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Volume 105, 2018, pp. 24-34

Biochimie, Volume 98, 2014, pp. 102-110

Peroxisomes are essential organelles in higher eukaryotes as they play a major role in numerous metabolic pathways and redox homeostasis. Some peroxisomal abnormalities, which are often not compatible with life or normal development, were identified in severe demyelinating and neurodegenerative brain diseases. The metabolic roles of peroxisomes, especially in the brain, are described and human brain peroxisomal disorders resulting from a peroxisome biogenesis or a single peroxisomal enzyme defect are listed. The brain abnormalities encountered in these disorders (demyelination, oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, neuronal migration, differentiation) are described and their pathogenesis are discussed. Finally, the contribution of peroxisomal dysfunctions to the alterations of brain functions during aging and to the development of Alzheimer's disease is considered.

Mitochondrion, Volume 52, 2020, pp. 89-99

Cellular organelles are membrane-bound and provide a microenvironment for specific functions. A mitochondrion is a double membranous and dynamic organelle that undergoes numerous fusion/fission events, which depends on various cellular factors. However, it is still dependent on other organelles and requires both communications as well as the movement of physical metabolites between them. Mitochondria interact with different organelles counting lipid droplets (LD), peroxisomes, vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane (PM), etc. Apart from them, mitochondria maintain multiple interactions with ER including ERMES (Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria encounter structures). ERMES is actually a multi-protein complex, and imperative in the maintenance of mitochondrial morphology and its functions. Its disruption also compromises phospholipid exchange, drug resistance and pathogenicity. This assembly is reportedly unique to fungal systems and proposed as a target for development of new antifungal. In the light of separate reports across diverse fungal systems, we have summarised the information about its distribution and effect on mitochondrial fitness.