title: Autophagy activity contributes to programmed cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The physiological relationship between autophagy and programmed cell death during C. elegans development is poorly understood. In C. elegans, 131 somatic cells and a large number of germline cells undergo programmed cell death. Autophagy genes function in the removal of somatic cell corpses during embryogenesis. Here we demonstrated that autophagy activity participates in germ-cell death induced by genotoxic stress. Upon γ ray treatment, fewer germline cells execute the death program in autophagy mutants. Autophagy also contributes to physiological germ-cell death and post-embryonic cell death in ventral cord neurons when ced-3 caspase activity is partially compromised. Our study reveals that autophagy activity contributes to programmed cell death during C. elegans development.
authors.forename: Haibin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Shiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiaochen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics; D005720:Gamma Rays; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D030781:Organisms, Genetically Modified
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C089224:Ced-4 protein, C elegans; C587195:LGG-1 protein, C elegans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C422043:ced-1 protein, C elegans; D020169:Caspases; C089223:ced-3 protein, C elegans