Pex35 is a regulator of peroxisome abundance

Abstract

Peroxisomes are cellular organelles with vital functions in lipid, amino acid and redox metabolism. The cellular formation and dynamics of peroxisomes are governed by <i>PEX</i> genes; however, the regulation of peroxisome abundance is still poorly understood. Here, we use a high-content microscopy screen in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> to identify new regulators of peroxisome size and abundance. Our screen led to the identification of a previously uncharacterized gene, which we term <i>PEX35</i>, which affects peroxisome abundance. <i>PEX35</i> encodes a peroxisomal membrane protein, a remote homolog to several curvature-generating human proteins. We systematically characterized the genetic and physical interactome as well as the metabolome of mutants in <i>PEX35</i>, and we found that Pex35 functionally interacts with the vesicle-budding-inducer Arf1. Our results highlight the functional interaction between peroxisomes and the secretory pathway.