Work

A mitochondrial-associated link between an effector caspase and autophagic flux

Year: 2014

Type: editorial

Abstract: It has become evident that caspases function in nonapoptotic cellular processes in addition to the canonical role for caspases in apoptotic cell death. We recently demonstrated that the Drosophila effector caspase Dcp-1 localizes to the mitochondria and positively regulates starvation-induced autophagic flux during mid-oogenesis. Loss of Dcp-1 leads to elongation of the mitochondrial network, increased levels of the adenine nucleotide translocase sesB, increased ATP levels, and a reduction in autophagy. We found that sesB is a negative regulator of autophagic flux, and Dcp-1 interacts with sesB in a nonproteolytic manner to regulate its stability, uncovering a novel mechanism of mitochondrial associated, caspase-mediated regulation of autophagy in vivo.

Source: Autophagy

DOI: 10.4161/auto.32170

Authors: Lindsay DeVorkin, Sharon M Gorski

Institutions: BC Cancer Agency, Simon Fraser University

Language: English

Topic: Autophagy in Disease and Therapy

Subfield: Cell Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada