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Peroxisomes are versatile eukaryotic organelles essential for many functions in fungi, including fatty acid metabolism, reactive oxygen species detoxification, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. A suite of Pex proteins (peroxins) maintains peroxisomes, while peroxisomal matrix enzymes execute peroxisome functions. Insertional mutagenesis identified peroxin genes as essential components supporting the intraphagosomal growth of the fungal pathogen . Disruption of the peroxins Pex5, Pex10, or Pex33 in prevented peroxisome import of proteins targeted to the organelle via the PTS1 pathway. This loss of peroxisome protein import limited intracellular growth in macrophages and attenuated virulence in an acute histoplasmosis infection model. Interruption of the alternate PTS2 import pathway also attenuated virulence, although only at later time points of infection. The Sid1 and Sid3 siderophore biosynthesis proteins contain a PTS1 peroxisome import signal and localize to the peroxisome. Loss of either the PTS1 or PTS2 peroxisome import pathway impaired siderophore production and iron acquisition in , demonstrating compartmentalization of at least some biosynthetic steps for hydroxamate siderophore biosynthesis. However, the loss of PTS1-based peroxisome import caused earlier virulence attenuation than either the loss of PTS2-based protein import or the loss of siderophore biosynthesis, indicating additional PTS1-dependent peroxisomal functions are important for virulence. Furthermore, disruption of the Pex11 peroxin also attenuated virulence independently of peroxisomal protein import and siderophore biosynthesis. These findings demonstrate peroxisomes contribute to pathogenesis by facilitating siderophore biosynthesis and another unidentified role(s) for the organelle during fungal virulence. IMPORTANCE The fungal pathogen infects host phagocytes and establishes a replication-permissive niche within the cells. To do so, overcomes and subverts antifungal defense mechanisms which include the limitation of essential micronutrients. replication within host cells requires multiple distinct functions of the fungal peroxisome organelle. These peroxisomal functions contribute to pathogenesis at different times during infection and include peroxisome-dependent biosynthesis of iron-scavenging siderophores to enable fungal proliferation, particularly after activation of cell-mediated immunity. The multiple essential roles of fungal peroxisomes reveal this organelle as a potential but untapped target for the development of therapeutics.
