Peroxisomes Contain Δ3,5,Δ2,4-Dienoyl-CoA Isomerase and thus Possess All Enzymes Required for the β-Oxidation of Unsaturated Fatty Acids by a Novel Reductase-Dependent Pathway

Abstract

The presence of Δ3,5,Δ2,4-dienoyl-CoA isomerase in peroxisomes was demonstrated by determining the subcellular distribution of this enzyme in rat liver. The peroxisomal and mitochondrial forms of the isomerase exhibit similar chain length specificities and they are homologous as indicated by the recognition of the peroxisomal 66-kDa enzyme by an antiserum raised against the mitochondrial 32-kDa isomerase. This report demonstrates that peroxisomes contain all enzymes required for the β oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids with odd-numbered double bonds by a novel pathway in which double bonds are reductively removed by the NADPH-dependent 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase.