A utophagy—the process by which a cell digests and recycles various molecules and organelles in its cytoplasm—is critical for maintaining homeostasis and for helping cells survive low-nutrient conditions. In a series of steps, a vesicle precursor, known as the phagophore, is formed, and cellular contents accumulate as it matures into an autophagosome. Then, after fusion with a lysosome, the inner vesicle of the autophagosome is digested along with the cargo, and the products are released into the cytoplasm. Over the past 25 years, researchers have detailed the molecular regulators of this process, with recent insights shedding light on autophagy’s link to both health and disease.
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A protein kinase complex and a lipid kinase complex coordinate the recruitment of a piece of membrane that will form ...
