The current view of peroxisome inheritance provides for the formation of new peroxisomes by both budding from the endoplasmic reticulum and autonomous division. Here we investigate peroxisome-cytoskeleton interactions and show by proteomics, biochemical and immunofluorescence analyses that actin, non-muscle myosin IIA (NMM IIA), RhoA, Rho kinase II (ROCKII) and Rab8 associate with peroxisomes. Our data provide evidence that (i) RhoA in its inactive state, maintained for example by C. botulinum toxin exoenzyme C3, dissociates from peroxisomes enabling microtubule-based peroxisomal movements and (ii) dominant-active RhoA targets to peroxisomes, uncouples the organelles from microtubules and favors Rho kinase recruitment to peroxisomes. We suggest that ROCKII activates NMM IIA mediating local peroxisomal constrictions. Although our understanding of peroxisome-cytoskeleton interactions is still incomplete, a picture is emerging demonstrating alternate RhoA-dependent association of peroxisomes to the microtubular and actin cytoskeleton. Whereas association of peroxisomes to microtubules clearly serves bidirectional, long-range saltatory movements, peroxisome-acto-myosin interactions may support biogenetic functions balancing peroxisome size, shape, number, and clustering.

The regulation of peroxisomal motility was investigated both in CHO cells and in cells derived from human umbilical vein endothelium (HUE). The cells were transfected with a construct encoding the green fluorescent protein bearing the C-terminal peroxisomal targeting signal 1. Kinetic analysis following time-lapse imaging revealed that CHO cells respond to simultaneous stimulation with ATP and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) by reducing peroxisomal movements. When Ca(2+) was omitted from the extracellular medium or the cells were incubated with inhibitors for heterotrimeric G(i)/G(o) proteins, phospholipase C, classical protein kinase C isoforms (cPKC), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) or phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), this signal-mediated motility block was abolished. HUE cells grown to confluency on microporous membranes responded similarly to ATP-LPA receptor co-stimulation, but only when the ligands had access to the basolateral membrane region. These data demonstrate that peroxisomal motility is subject to specific modulation from the extracellular environment and suggest a receptor-mediated signaling cascade comprising Ca(2+) influx, G(i)/G(o) proteins, phospholipase C, cPKC isoforms, MEK and PLA(2) being involved in the regulation of peroxisomal arrest.

Peroxisomal motility was studied in vivo in CHO cells following transfection with a green fluorescent protein construct containing the C-terminal peroxisomal targeting signal 1 (GFP-PTS1). Time-lapse imaging and evaluation of difference images revealed that peroxisomes attach to microtubules in a Ca2+ requiring step and are transported in an ATP-dependent manner. Following microinjection of guanosine-5′-O-(3-thiotri-phosphate) (GTP(gamma)S), peroxisomal movements were arrested, indicating regulation by GTP-binding proteins. The effect of GTP(gamma)S was mimicked by AlF4- and mastoparan, two drugs which are known to activate heterotrimeric G proteins. Pertussis toxin which prevents Gi/Go protein activation completely abolished the effect of GTP(gamma)S and mastoparan on peroxisomal motility suggesting that the G protein belongs to the Gi/Go class. At least one effector of the G protein is phospholipase A2 as demonstrated by the observation that the phospholipase A2 activating protein peptide efficiently blocks peroxisomal motility, and that the effect of mastoparan and AlF4- is largely abolished by various phospholipase A2 inhibitors. In summary, these data provide evidence for a new type of regulation of organelle motility mediated by a Gi/Go-phospholipase A2 signaling pathway. This type of regulation has not been observed so far with other cell organelles such as mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum or axonal vesicles. Thus, motility is regulated individually for each cell organelle by distinct mechanisms enabling the cell to fulfill its vital functions.

Summary. Chloroplasts and pigment granules are known to be intracellularly translocated upon discrete extracellular stimuli. The machineries transducing these signals inside cells are yet not understood. In studies investigating the motility of peroxisomes, we were able to identify both extracellular and intracellular signaling steps regulating movements of these organelles. Following simultaneous stimulation of CHO cells with both extracellular ATP and lysophosphatidic acid, an arrest of peroxisomes was observed. This block of motility was shown to be dependent on signaling cascades involving heterotrimeric G proteins of the class G~/Go, phospholipase C, calcium influx, and activation of protein kinase C as well as of mitogen-activated protein kinase. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 is a point of convergence for these pathways, resulting in the release of arachidonic acid. This signaling pathway is specific for peroxisomes and does not influence motility of mitochondria, lysosomes, or endosomes. However, since the cytoskeleton and its associated proteins including the motor proteins play an important role in mediating motility of all cell organelles, it may well be that variant signaling cascades exist ensuring specific regulation of each distinct compartment.Keywords: Organelle motility; Peroxisomes; G proteins; Phosphoiipase A2; Regulation.Abbrevitations: AA arachidonic acid; ATPTS adenosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate); cAMP cyclic adenosine monophosphate; CaM-PK calmodulin-dependent protein kinase; CLIP cytosolic linker protein; DAG diacylglycerol; DiCa 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol; GFP green-fluorescent protein; GTPTS guanosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate); IP3 inositol trisphosphate; LPA lysophosphatidic acid; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; MEK MAPK kinase; PKA protein kinase A; PKC protein kinase C; ePKC classical PKC isoforms; PLA2 phospholipase A2; PLAP PLA2-activating protein peptide; PLC phospholipase C; PP2A protein phosphatase 2A.