title: The quantitative Pho8Delta60 assay of nonspecific autophagy.
abstract: The measurement of autophagic flux is critical in understanding the regulation of autophagy. The Pho8Delta60 assay employs a very sensitive enzymatic assay that provides a high signal-to-noise ratio and allows for precise quantification of autophagic flow in yeast. Pho8, alkaline phosphatase, is a resident vacuolar enzyme that is delivered to the vacuole membrane through a portion of the secretory pathway. The assay utilizes a genetically engineered version of Pho8 that lacks the N-terminal transmembrane domain that allows for translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum. Accordingly, Pho8Delta60 remains in the cytosol and is delivered to the vacuole only through autophagy. Once in the vacuole lumen, the C-terminal propeptide is proteolytically removed, which results in activation. Thus, the alkaline phosphatase activity reflects the amount of the cytosol delivered to the vacuole through nonspecific autophagy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Regulation, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Klionsky
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055571:Secretory Pathway / Q000502:physiology; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; C510355:PHO8 protein, S cerevisiae