Infection-Induced Peroxisome Biogenesis Is a Metabolic Strategy for Herpesvirus Replication

Peroxisomes are primarily metabolic organelles with important functions in lipid metabolism, such as fatty acid oxidation and ether phospholipid synthesis (e.g. plasmalogens). Certain viruses, such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), hijack organelle functions to facilitate their replication and spread. However, the role of peroxisomes in herpesvirus replication remains elusive. Following a discovery that peroxisome proteins are upregulated upon HCMV infection, we quantified the production of plasmalogens, lipids that require peroxisome functions. In agreement with the increase in peroxisome protein abundance, plasmalogen production was increased by HCMV infection.