Expression of PEX11β mediates peroxisome proliferation in the absence of extracellular stimuli

Mammalian cells typically contain hundreds of peroxisomes but can increase peroxisome abundance further in response to extracellular stimuli. We report here the identification and characterization of two novel human peroxisomal membrane proteins, PEX11α and PEX11β. Overexpression of the human PEX11β gene alone was sufficient to induce peroxisome proliferation, demonstrating that proliferation can occur in the absence of extracellular stimuli and may be mediated by a single gene. Time course studies indicated that PEX11β induces peroxisome proliferation through a multistep process involving peroxisome elongation and segregation of PEX11β from other peroxisomal membrane proteins, followed by peroxisome division. Overexpression of PEX11α also induced peroxisome proliferation but at a much lower frequency than PEX11β in our experimental system. The patterns of PEX11α and PEX11β expression were examined in the rat, the animal in which peroxisome proliferation has been examined most extensively. Levels of PEX11β mRNA were similar in all tissues examined and were unaffected by peroxisome-proliferating agents. Conversely, PEX11α mRNA levels varied widely among different tissues, were highest in tissues that are sensitive to peroxisome-proliferating agents, and were induced more than 10-fold in response to the peroxisome proliferators clofibrate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Taken together, these data implicate PEX11β in the constitutive control of peroxisome abundance and suggest that PEX11α may regulate peroxisome abundance in response to extracellular stimuli.