glycosome

GO:0020015 · Membrane organelle · Membrane bounded organelle · Proposed

A membrane-bounded organelle found in organisms from the order Kinetoplastida that houses the enzymes of glycolysis. [GO:0020015]

Has part: glycosome lumen (GO:0034468); glycosome membrane (GO:0046860)

UniProt location names: UniProt Consortium, CC BY 4.0. Reference label and route sources.

Components

Component	Type	Part of / acts on	Grounding	Genes	Essential	Role
glycosome membrane	Lipid	part of	`GO:0046860`		ESSENTIAL	Peroxisome-related bounding membrane that encloses the glycosomal matrix. `DOI:10.1016/0014-5793(77)80476-6` Opperdoes and Borst 1977 localized Trypanosoma brucei glycolytic enzymes to a microbody-like glycosome. `DOI:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.09.015` Haanstra et al. 2016 review glycosomes as specialized peroxisomes of trypanosomatid parasites.
glycosomal glycolytic enzymes	Protein	part of	Reviewed label only (reviewed name; no accession asserted)		UNKNOWN	Matrix enzymes that compartmentalize the major glycolytic steps inside the kinetoplastid glycosome. `DOI:10.1016/0014-5793(77)80476-6` Opperdoes and Borst 1977 localized nine glycolytic enzymes to the Trypanosoma brucei glycosome. `DOI:10.1073/pnas.0806664105` Haanstra et al. 2008 used PEX14-deficient trypanosomes to test the importance of sequestering glycolytic enzymes in glycosomes.
glycosomal peroxin import machinery	Protein	part of	Reviewed label only (reviewed name; no accession asserted)	PEX5, PEX7, PEX14	UNKNOWN	PTS receptors and membrane-docking factors that import nuclear-encoded matrix proteins into the glycosome. `DOI:10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03582.x` Choe et al. 2003 characterized Trypanosoma brucei PEX14 and its interaction with TbPEX5 during glycosomal matrix-protein import. `DOI:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.09.015` Haanstra et al. 2016 review conserved peroxin machinery in trypanosomatid glycosome biogenesis and maintenance.

Taxonomic distribution

NCBITaxon:5653 Kinetoplastea — COMMON: Parent-level proxy for the GO Kinetoplastida order scope; glycosomes are specialized peroxisomes of kinetoplastid protists, with biogenesis best reviewed in trypanosomatid parasites. [DOI:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.09.015]

Canonical examples

NCBITaxon:5691 Trypanosoma brucei — Kinetoplastid parasite in which glycosome glycolytic enzymes, PEX14-mediated protein import and the metabolic need for compartmentation have been experimentally studied. [DOI:10.1073/pnas.0806664105]

Functions

glycolytic enzyme compartmentalization — The glycosome sequesters glycolytic enzymes in a membrane-bounded matrix, protecting trypanosomes from toxic accumulation of glycolytic intermediates.
- DOI:10.1073/pnas.0806664105 Haanstra et al. 2008 showed that compartmentation of glycolysis prevents toxic glucose-6-phosphate accumulation in Trypanosoma brucei.
glycosomal matrix protein import — Glycosomal peroxins import nuclear-encoded PTS-containing matrix proteins into the glycosome.
- DOI:10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03582.x Choe et al. 2003 showed that PEX14 participates in glycosomal matrix-protein import in Trypanosoma brucei.

Mechanism graphs

PEX import machinery loads glycolytic enzymes into the glycosome (FUNCTION)

Glycosomal peroxin import machinery docks PTS receptors at the glycosome membrane and imports glycolytic enzymes into the matrix, where compartmentation keeps glycolytic flux from triggering toxic metabolite accumulation.

Subject	Predicate	Object	Evidence
glycosome membrane	bounds	glycosome	`DOI:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.09.015` Haanstra et al. 2016 review glycosomes as membrane-bounded specialized peroxisomes.
glycosomal peroxin import machinery	resides in	glycosome membrane	`DOI:10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03582.x` Choe et al. 2003 characterized T. brucei PEX14 and its interaction with the PTS1 receptor PEX5.
glycosomal peroxin import machinery	imports	glycosomal glycolytic enzymes	`DOI:10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03582.x` Choe et al. 2003 linked TbPEX14 to import of glycosomal matrix proteins.
glycosomal glycolytic enzymes	accumulate in	glycosome lumen	`DOI:10.1016/0014-5793(77)80476-6` Opperdoes and Borst 1977 localized nine glycolytic enzymes to the T. brucei glycosome.
glycosomal glycolytic enzymes	support	controlled glycolytic flux	`DOI:10.1073/pnas.0806664105` Haanstra et al. 2008 found that PEX14-deficient trypanosomes accumulated glucose-6-phosphate after glucose addition.

Discussions

CURATION_TODO (OPEN): Resolve exact source-neutral protein-family groundings for the glycosomal PEX5, PEX7 and PEX14 import components. The first record groups the PTS receptors and membrane-docking machinery required for glycosomal matrix-protein import. Exact family-level CURIEs for all grouped kinetoplastid peroxins were not curated.

Evidence

DOI:10.1016/0014-5793(77)80476-6 Opperdoes and Borst 1977, Localization of nine glycolytic enzymes in a microbody-like organelle in Trypanosoma brucei: the glycosome, FEBS Letters.
DOI:10.1046/j.1432-1033.2003.03582.x Choe et al. 2003, Characterization of Trypanosoma brucei PEX14 and its role in the import of glycosomal matrix proteins, European Journal of Biochemistry.
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0806664105 Haanstra et al. 2008, Compartmentation prevents a lethal turbo-explosion of glycolysis in trypanosomes, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.09.015 Haanstra et al. 2016, Biogenesis, maintenance and dynamics of glycosomes in trypanosomatid parasites, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research.
DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005333 Bauer and Morris 2017, Glycosome biogenesis in trypanosomes and the de novo dilemma, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Curation history

2026-09-10T02:57:37Z claude · CREATED_RECORD — Scaffolded by scripts/new_record.py
2026-09-10T02:58:13Z claude · EXPANDED_RECORD — Added glycosome membrane and lumen parthood, membrane, glycolytic enzyme and peroxin import components, Kinetoplastea taxonomic scope, Trypanosoma brucei as a canonical example, glycolytic compartmentation and protein import functions, a PEX14 import/compartmentation graph, and a peroxin grounding discussion.
2026-09-10T03:10:49Z claude · ADDRESSED_PR_REVIEW — Addressed PR #306 review issues #307, #308 and #309 by softening glycosome membrane origin wording, qualifying Kinetoplastea taxonomic scope, and modeling glycolysis compartmentation as flux control instead of direct metabolite sequestration.
2026-09-20T21:58:45Z codex · ADDRESSED_REVIEW — Retyped the glycosome lumen graph node as CELLULAR_LOCALIZATION.

Source: data/structures/membrane_organelle/glycosome.yaml