The evolution of eukaryotic cells from the perspective of peroxisomes: Phylogenetic analyses of peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes support mitochondria-first models of eukaryotic cell evolution
13.11.2014
Bolte K, Rensing SA, Maier UG.
Bioessays. 2015 Feb;37(2):195-203
Beta-oxidation of fatty acids and detoxification of ROS are generally accepted as being fundamental functions of peroxisomes. Here we performed phylogenetic analyses of enzymes involved in beta-oxidation of fatty acids in Bacteria, Eukaryota, and Archaea. These imply an alpha-proteobacterial origin for three out of four enzymes. By integrating the enzymes' history into the contrasting models on the origin of eukaryotic cells, we conclude that peroxisomes most likely evolved non-symbiotically and subsequent to the acquisition of mitochondria.
