title: Beclin orthologs: integrative hubs of cell signaling, membrane trafficking, and physiology.
abstract: The Beclin family, including yeast Atg6 (autophagy related gene 6), its orthologs in higher eukaryotic species, and the more recently characterized mammalian-specific Beclin 2, are essential molecules in autophagy and other membrane-trafficking events. Extensive studies of Beclin orthologs have provided considerable insights into the regulation of autophagy, the diverse roles of autophagy in physiology and disease, and potential new strategies to modulate autophagy in a variety of clinical diseases. In this review we discuss the functions of Beclin orthologs, the regulation of such functions by diverse cellular signaling pathways, and the effects of such regulation on downstream cellular processes including tumor suppression and metabolism. These findings suggest that Beclin orthologs serve as crucial molecules that integrate diverse environmental signals with membrane trafficking events to ensure optimal responses of the cell to stressful stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Center for Autophagy Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Electronic address: beth.levine@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.affiliation: Center for Autophagy Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Center for Autophagy Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaonan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Center for Autophagy Research, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Electronic address: qing.zhong@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D001343:Autophagy; D000071186:Beclin-1; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D021381:Protein Transport; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; D008565:Membrane Proteins
keywords: LC3-associated phagocytosis; autophagic maturation; autophagy; endocytic maturation; endolysosomal trafficking