Transport of fatty acids and metabolites across the peroxisomal membrane

The peroxisomal membrane forms a permeability barrier for a wide variety of metabolites required for and formed during fatty acid beta-oxidation. To c ommunicate with the cytoplasm and mitochondria, peroxisomes need dedicated proteins to transport such hydrophilic molecules across their membranes. Ge netic and biochemical studies in the yeast Sacchauomyces cerevisiae have id entified enzymes for redox shuttles as well as the first peroxisomal membra ne transporter. This peroxisomal ATP-binding cassette transporter (Pat) is highly homologous to the gene mutated in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-A LD). The yeast Pat is required for import of activated fatty acids into per oxisomes suggesting that this is the primary defect in X-ALD. (C) 2000 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.