Summary
Animal, plant, and fungal cells are divided by internal membranes that define unique compartments termed organelles. These organelles allow the cell to create different chemical environments. For example, an organelle called the peroxisome sequesters metabolic enzymes. These enzymes may produce toxic byproducts, such as reactive oxygen species, alongside enzymes that degrade those toxic byproducts to protect the cell. Peroxisome function is essential to human health, agricultural success, and offers rich potential for the discovery of novel biochemical pathways in newly sequenced eukaryotes. F
