Studying Peroxisomes in Ustilago maydis: A Defined Workflow.

Nils Bäcker, Damon Freitag, Gert Bange, Judith M Klatt, Johannes Freitag

Journal: Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 2026;3050():385-405

PMID: 42681059

Abstract

Peroxisomes are highly conserved oxidative organelles essential for the breakdown of fatty acids and the detoxification of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a byproduct of this process. Beyond these central roles, peroxisomes contribute to diverse cellular functions, including amino acid biosynthesis and secondary metabolism. In recent years, the basidiomycete Ustilago maydis has emerged as a valuable model to uncover novel aspects of peroxisome biology. Here, we present a workflow to investigate the subcellular and suborganellar localization of peroxisomal proteins of interest and to assess their functional relevance. The outlined experimental strategies are broadly applicable to research questions beyond peroxisome biology and can be adapted to other systems.

Address: Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg University, Marburg, Germany.; Department of Biology, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany.; Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg University, Marburg, Germany.; Department of Chemistry, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany.; Microcosm Earth Center, Marburg University & Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.; Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg University, Marburg, Germany.; Department of Chemistry, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany.; Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.; Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg University, Marburg, Germany. [email protected].; Department of Chemistry, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany. [email protected].; Microcosm Earth Center, Marburg University & Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany. [email protected].; Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg University, Marburg, Germany. [email protected].; Department of Biology, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-5364-7_34

MeSH Terms: Peroxisomes, Fungal Proteins, Protein Transport, Ustilago, Workflow, Basidiomycota