Question

Peroxisomes got their name because hydrogen peroxide is:

a. used in their detoxification reactions

b. produced during their oxidation reactions

c. incorporated into their membranes

d. a cofactor for the organelles’ enzymes

Short answer

Peroxisomes got their name because hydrogen peroxide is produced during their oxidation reactions

Step-by-step solution

Explanation

Hydrogen peroxide is itself toxic for cells which then get neutralized by catalase. Hence option a is incorrect.

Hydrogen peroxide is produced by mitochondria and it does not have to do anything with the name of peroxisome. Hence c is wrong as well.

Hydrogen peroxide is the final product in organelle which is formed by molecular oxygen as a co-substrate. So, option d is also incorrect

Option b is correct, as a metabolic by-product, peroxisomes' many oxidase enzymes produce hydrogen peroxide hence they got this name. As H₂O₂ is harmful to cells the enzyme catalase, which decomposes the cell-toxic hydrogen peroxide, is also found in peroxisomes.

Conclusion

Peroxisomes break down organic molecules and produce hydrogen peroxide through the oxidation process. They're called peroxisomes because they all produce hydrogen peroxide.