title: Lipidation of the autophagy proteins LC3 and GABARAP is a membrane-curvature dependent process.
abstract: The phagophore membrane is highly curved along the rim of the open cup, suggesting that the molecular mechanisms governing its formation and growth could rely on membrane curvature-dependent events. To this end, we recently reported that lipidation of the LC3 protein family is facilitated on highly curved membranes in vitro. We further showed that the conjugating enzyme ATG3 contains an amphipathic helix that is responsible for this membrane curvature dependency, and that the maintenance of this amphipathic structure is essential for ATG3 function in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology; Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven, CT USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dancourt
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology; Yale University School of Medicine; New Haven, CT USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Melia
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism*; D001343:Autophagy; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D008055:Lipids; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins
keywords: Atg3; LC3; curvature; lipidation; phosphatidylethanolamine