Peroxisomes are underappreciated organelles hijacked by viruses.

Abstract

Peroxisomes are cellular organelles that are crucial for metabolism, stress responses, and healthy aging. They have recently come to be considered as important mediators of the immune response during viral infections. Consequently, various viruses target peroxisomes for the purpose of hijacking either their biogenesis or their functions, as a means of replicating efficiently, making this a compelling research area. Despite their known connections with mitochondria, which have been the object of considerable research on account of their role in the innate immune response, less is known about peroxisomes in this context. In this review, we explore the evolving understanding of the role of peroxisomes, highlighting recent findings on how they are exploited by viruses to modulate their replication cycle.