title: Defining the membrane precursor supporting the nucleation of the phagophore.
abstract: How does the phagophore form? Which membrane acts as a platform for its biogenesis? Over the years, extensive use of microscopy techniques have led to the controversial identification of multiple potential membranes as precursors for phagophore nucleation and/or for the supply of lipids to the expanding compartment. Nevertheless, none of these studies has established a direct functional link between membrane sources and autophagosome biogenesis. Addressing this point, in a recent study highlighted by a punctum in this issue, Ge and coworkers developed an in vitro approach to determine the identity of the membranes responsible for the lipidation of LC3, thus identifying the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) as a potential key determinant of phagophore biogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Institute; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, MI USA.
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Institute; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, MI USA.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Klionsky
mesh_terms: D001343:Autophagy; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010588:Phagosomes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins
keywords: ER-Golgi intermediate compartment; LC3; autophagosome; autophagy; lysosome; stress