
doi: 10.1101/274530
ABSTRACT The selective lysosomal degradation (autophagy) of entire organelles is required for cellular homeostasis, and its dysregulation is involved in degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease. While autophagy of mitochondria (mitophagy) is becoming better understood, other forms of organelle autophagy are relatively unexplored. Here we develope multiple quantitative assays to measure organelle autophagy using flow cytometry, microscopy, and Western blotting. Focusing on autophagy of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER-phagy), we show that these assays allow facile measurement of ER-phagy, and that ER-phagy is inhibited by knockdown of either core autophagy components or the recently reported FAM134B ER-phagy receptor. Using these assays, we further identify that Atlastins, the ER-resident GTPases involved in ER membrane morphology, are key positive effectors of ER-phagy. Atlastin-depleted cells have decreased ER-phagy under starvation conditions, and Atlastin’s role in ER-phagy requires both a functional GTPase domain and proper ER localization. The three Atlastin family members functionally compensate for one another during ER-phagy and may form heteromeric complexes with one another. We also find that Atlastins act downstream of the FAM134B ER-phagy receptor. We propose that during ER-phagy, Atlastins remodel ER membrane to separate pieces of FAM134B-marked ER for efficient autophagosomal engulfment. Human mutations in Atlastins led to hereditary spastic paraplegia, and our results suggest that this disease may be linked to deficiencies in ER-phagy rather than ER morphology.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 1 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
