Lipid exchange between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and peroxisomes is necessary for the synthesis and catabolism of lipids, the trafficking of cholesterol, and peroxisome biogenesis in mammalian cells. However, how lipids are exchanged between these two organelles is not understood. In this study, we report that the ER-resident VAMP-associated proteins A and B (VAPA and VAPB) interact with the peroxisomal membrane protein acyl-CoA binding domain containing 5 (ACBD5) and that this interaction is required to tether the two organelles together, thereby facilitating the lipid exchange between them. Depletion of either ACBD5 or VAP expression results in increased peroxisome mobility, suggesting that VAP–ACBD5 complex acts as the primary ER–peroxisome tether. We also demonstrate that tethering of peroxisomes to the ER is necessary for peroxisome growth, the synthesis of plasmalogen phospholipids, and the maintenance of cellular cholesterol levels. Collectively, our data highlight the importance of VAP–ACBD5–mediated contact between the ER and peroxisomes for organelle maintenance and lipid homeostasis.

NODs require S-palmitoylation to signal: The compartmentalization of proteins within the cell is essential for their function. The addition of lipid molecules redistributes proteins to the cell surface or to membrane-bound organelles. Working in transgenic mice and in tissue cultured cells, Lu et al. found that nucleotide oligomerization domain–like receptors 1 and 2 (NOD1 and NOD2), two proteins responsible for detecting bacterial products, required lipid modifications for their recruitment to the cell membrane and function. The specific modification, palmitoylation at a cysteine thiol, was mediated by the enzyme ZDHHC5. Loss of ZDHHC5 or removal of key modification residues in NOD1 and NOD2 abolished their function, compromising antibacterial responses. Human variants of NOD2 display altered palmitoylation, which could help to explain many inflammatory conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Science , this issue p. 460