Autophagy

Simon, Hans-Uwe; Friis, Robert; Colombo, María I. (2017). Autophagy. In: eLS Citable reviews in the life sciences (pp. 1-10). Wiley 10.1002/9780470015902.a0021581.pub2

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Autophagy comprises several evolutionarily conserved mechanisms for transport and uptake of proteins and even cytoplasmic organelles into the lysosome. Macroautophagy sequesters cytoplasmic elements, sometimes with elegant selectivity and sometimes just in bulk, into double membrane vacuoles which are subsequently fused with lysosomes for degradation. In mammals, such recycling of protein aggregates and malfunctioning organelles allows macroautophagy to facilitate recovery of constituents for new protein synthesis or ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, but provides also for selective removal of signalling proteins (e.g. signalphagy) and serves as an effective mechanism for quality control on whole organelles (e.g. mitophagy). Autophagy signalling includes both numerous options for its regulation by posttranslational modifications, for example phosphorylation/dephosphorylation and acetylation/deacetylation, as well as by transcriptional upregulation with many transcription factors. Autophagy shares functional components with other pathways and stands always balanced between different cell fates: quiescence, that is a temporary cell cycle arrest, senescence or cell death by apoptotic or nonapoptotic mechanisms.

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