title: Molecules and their functions in autophagy.
abstract: Autophagy is a self-degradation system of cellular components through an autophagosomal-lysosomal pathway. Over the last 15 yr, yeast genetic screens led to the identification of a number of genes involved in the autophagic pathway. Most of these autophagy genes are present in higher eukaryotes and regulate autophagy process for cell survival and homeostasis. Significant progress has recently been made to better understand the molecular mechanisms of the autophagy machinery. Especially, autophagy process, including the regulation of autophagy induction through mTOR and the nucleation and elongation in autophagosome formation through class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex and ubiquitin-like conjugation systems, became evident. While many unanswered questions remain to be answered, here, we summarize the recent process of autophagy with emphasis on molecules and their protein complexes along with advanced molecular mechanisms that regulate the autophagy machinery.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Science/Bio-MAX Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Ok
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Pyo
authors.forename: Jihoon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nah
authors.forename: Yong Keun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D001343:Autophagy / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000071192:Autophagy-Related Protein 12; D000071187:Autophagy-Related Protein 5; D000071189:Autophagy-Related Protein-1 Homolog; D000071183:Autophagy-Related Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058546:Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C466624:ATG12 protein, human; C518959:ATG16L1 protein, human; C502778:ATG5 protein, human; C503283:ATG9B protein, human; D000071192:Autophagy-Related Protein 12; D000071187:Autophagy-Related Protein 5; D000071183:Autophagy-Related Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins; D058546:Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000071189:Autophagy-Related Protein-1 Homolog; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C484754:ULK1 protein, human