Atg8-mediated super-assembly of Atg40 induces local ER remodeling in reticulophagy.

Reticulophagy (or ER-phagy) is a type of selective autophagy that targets the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In the process of reticulophagy, part of the ER is fragmented and packed within autophagosomes. However, the underlying mechanism that induces this local remodeling of ER subdomains was poorly understood. Our recent study showed that in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae the reticulophagy receptor Atg40 plays an important role in ER remodeling beyond its role as a tether between the ER and the phagophore [1]. Atg40 has an ability to generate positive membrane curvature through the reticulon-like domain and locally forms a super assemblage though its binding to Atg8 at ER-phagophore contacts. These Atg40 assemblages cause folding of the ER subdomains to allow them to be efficiently packed into autophagosomes. Furthermore, our structural analysis identified an evolutionarily conserved short helix that assists strong Atg8-binding of reticulophagy receptors.

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