Regulation of ER-phagy by a Ypt/Rab GTPase module

Mol Biol Cell. 2013 Oct;24(19):3133-44. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E13-05-0269. Epub 2013 Aug 7.

Abstract

Accumulation of misfolded proteins on intracellular membranes has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. One cellular pathway that clears such aggregates is endoplasmic reticulum autophagy (ER-phagy), a selective autophagy pathway that delivers excess ER to the lysosome for degradation. Not much is known about the regulation of ER-phagy. The conserved Ypt/Rab GTPases regulate all membrane trafficking events in eukaryotic cells. We recently showed that a Ypt module, consisting of Ypt1 and autophagy-specific upstream activator and downstream effector, regulates the onset of selective autophagy in yeast. Here we show that this module acts at the ER. Autophagy-specific mutations in its components cause accumulation of excess membrane proteins on aberrant ER structures and induction of ER stress. This accumulation is due to a block in transport of these membranes to the lysosome, where they are normally cleared. These findings establish a role for an autophagy-specific Ypt1 module in the regulation of ER-phagy. Moreover, because Ypt1 is a known key regulator of ER-to-Golgi transport, these findings establish a second role for Ypt1 at the ER. We therefore propose that individual Ypt/Rabs, in the context of distinct modules, can coordinate alternative trafficking steps from one cellular compartment to different destinations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Autophagy / genetics*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / genetics*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
  • Golgi Apparatus / metabolism
  • Lysosomes
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Protein Transport / genetics
  • Proteolysis
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • YPT1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins