The glycosome is a membrane-enclosed organelle that contains the glycolytic enzymes. It is found in a few species of protozoa, most notably in the human pathogenic trypanosomes, which can cause sleeping sickness and Chagas's disease, and Leishmania. The organelle is bounded by a single membrane and contains a dense proteinaceous matrix. It is believed to have evolved from the peroxisome.^[1] This has been verified by work done on Leishmania genetics. ^[2]

The glycosome is currently being researched as a possible target for drug therapies.

[edit] References

1. ^ Parsons M (2004). "Glycosomes: parasites and the divergence of peroxisomal purpose". Mol Microbiol 53 (3): 717–24. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04203.x. PMID 15255886. 
2. ^ Flaspohler, J.A., W.L. Rickoll, S.M. Beverley, and M. Parsons. 1997. Functional identification of a Leishmania gene related to peroxin 2 reveals common ancestry of glycosomes and peroxisomes. Mol. Cell. Biol. 17(3):1093-1101.

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