title: Crosstalk between apoptosis and autophagy within the Beclin 1 interactome.
abstract: Although the essential genes for autophagy (Atg) have been identified, the molecular mechanisms through which Atg proteins control 'self eating' in mammalian cells remain elusive. Beclin 1 (Bec1), the mammalian orthologue of yeast Atg6, is part of the class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) complex that induces autophagy. The first among an increasing number of Bec1-interacting proteins that has been identified is the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. The dissociation of Bec1 from Bcl-2 is essential for its autophagic activity, and Bcl-2 only inhibits autophagy when it is present in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A paper in this issue of the EMBO Journal has identified a novel protein, NAF-1 (nutrient-deprivation autophagy factor-1), that binds Bcl-2 at the ER. NAF-1 is a component of the inositol-1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP3) receptor complex, which contributes to the interaction of Bcl-2 with Bec1 and is required for Bcl-2 to functionally antagonize Bec1-mediated autophagy. This work provides mechanistic insights into how autophagy- and apoptosis-regulatory molecules crosstalk at the ER.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U848, Institut G Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Maria Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Maiuri
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Criollo
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroemer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000071186:Beclin-1; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008954:Models, Biological; D011485:Protein Binding; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D000071186:Beclin-1; C115010:Becn1 protein, mouse; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C052617:Bcl2 protein, mouse