GLYOXYSOMES

DEFINITION;

➤PLANTS CONTAIN AN ORGANELLE, WHICH IN ADDITION TO GLYCOLIC ACID OXIDASE

    AND CATALASE  ALSO POSSESS A NUMBER OF ENZYMES THAT ARE NOT FOUND IN

    ANIMAL CELLS. THIS ORGANELLE CALLED GLYOXYSOMES.

THEIR ABUNDANCE;

➤THEY ARE ARE MOST ABUNDANT IN PLANT SEEDLINGS, WHICH RELY UPON STORED

    FATTY ACIDS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE ENERGY AND MATERIAL TO BEGIN THE

    FORMATION OF A NEW PLANT.

CONVERSION OF FATTY ACID⟶CARBOHYDRATES

➤ONE OF THE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES IN THESE GERMINATING SEEDLINGS IS THE

    CONVERSION OF STORED FATTY ACIDS TO CARBOHYDRATES. THIS IS ACHIEVED

    THROUGH A CYCLE, GLYOXYLATE CYCLE, THE ENZYMES OF WHICH ARE LOCATED

    IN THE GLYOXYSOMES.

FUNCTION OF GLYOXYSOMES IN PLANTS;

➤IN PLANTS, PEROXISOMES PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN BOTH CATABOLIC AND

    ANABOLIC PATHWAYS. IN SEEDS RICH IN LIPIDS SUCH AS CASTOR BEAN AND

   SOYABEANS, GLYOXYSOMES ARE THE SITES FOR BREAKDOWN OF FATTY ACIDS

   TO SUCCINATE. 

PRESENT FOR A SHORT PERIOD;

➤THIS ORGANELLE IS PRESENT ONLY DURING A SHORT PERIOD IN THE GERMINATION 

   OF THE LIPID-RICH SEED AND IS ABSENT IN LIPID -POOR SEED SUCH AS THE PEA.