Review
Cell Biology
Ming Yang, Shilu Luo, Xi Wang, Chenrui Li, Jinfei Yang, Xuejing Zhu, Li Xiao, Lin Sun
Summary: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis, and ER-phagy, a selective form of autophagy, helps remove damaged ER to protect cells from harm caused by excessive ER stress. Many receptor-mediated ER-phagy pathways have been discovered in recent years, highlighting the importance of this newly identified autophagy process in maintaining cellular health.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Jiahui Li, Enfeng Gao, Chenguang Xu, Hongna Wang, Yongjie Wei
Summary: ER-phagy is a crucial mechanism for ER quality control, transporting damaged ER fragments to the lysosome for degradation to eliminate abnormal proteins and membrane lipids. Its deficiency can facilitate viral infection, highlighting its role in host defense against pathogens.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Tomoyuki Fukuda, Tetsu Saigusa, Kentaro Furukawa, Keiichi Inoue, Shun-ichi Yamashita, Tomotake Kanki
Summary: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergoes selective autophagy called reticulophagy or ER-phagy. Reticulon- and receptor expression enhancing protein (REEP)-like ER-shaping proteins, such as budding yeast Atg40, act as reticulophagy receptors to stabilize the phagophore on the ER by interacting with phagophore-conjugated Atg8. Hva22, a REEP family protein in fission yeast, promotes reticulophagy without Atg8-binding capacity and its role can be replaced by expressing Atg40 independently of its Atg8-binding ability.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Somya Vats, Thierry Galli
Summary: SERP, a secretory mechanism bypassing the Golgi apparatus, plays a crucial role in releasing ER elements and promoting neurite growth. In the absence of macroautophagy, SERP becomes more efficient in promoting secretion of specific proteins and altering neuronal polarity.
Article
Cell Biology
Bin Wang, Jing Zhang, Xin Liu, Qingqing Chai, Xiaoran Lu, Xiaoyu Yao, Zhichang Yang, Liangliang Sun, Silas F. Johnson, Richard C. Schwartz, Yong-Hui Zheng
Summary: Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) suppresses the expression of its structural glycoprotein (GP) through protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs), resulting in reduced pathogenicity. PDIs trigger misfolding of GP by targeting its cysteine residues and activate the unfolded protein response (UPR), leading to degradation of misfolded GP through ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) and autophagy-lysosomal pathway. PDIs also have similar inhibitory activity on GP expression from other ebolavirus species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Song Su, Yan-Ting Shi, Yi Chu, Ming-Zuo Jiang, Nan Wu, Bing Xu, He Zhou, Jun-Chao Lin, Yi-Rong Jin, Xiao-Fei Li, Jie Liang
Summary: Sec62 is upregulated in gastric cancer and acts as an independent predictor of poor prognosis. Sec62 promotes migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells through regulating the balance of TIMP-1 and MMP2/9. Moreover, Sec62 can activate autophagy to facilitate gastric cancer metastasis.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Jian Wu, Simon Michaeli, Lorenzo Picchianti, Yasin Dagdas, Gad Galili, Hadas Peled-Zehavi
Summary: In this study, a reticulophagy pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana triggered by dark-induced starvation but not by ER stress was characterized, defined by the ATG8-interacting proteins ATI1 and ATI2. The ER-localized MSBP1 was identified as an ATI1- and ATI2-interacting protein and autophagy cargo, with ATI1 and ATI2 serving as its cargo receptors. These findings expand knowledge on plant responses during energy deprivation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhiqian Liu, Changlin Ma, Qi Wang, Hao Yang, Zhihua Lu, Tao Bi, Zongzhen Xu, Tao Li, Ling Zhang, Yajie Zhang, Jingfang Liu, Xiaoqing Wei, Jie Li
Summary: This study reveals the role of the PABPC1-FAM134B-ER-phagy pathway in regulating ferroptosis. It shows that sorafenib activates FAM134B-mediated ER-phagy, and blocking this process enhances cellular sensitivity to ferroptosis. The study also suggests that PABPC1 may interact with FAM134B mRNA and promote its translation.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Keisuke Mochida, Hitoshi Nakatogawa
Summary: Autophagy is a degradation system in eukaryotic cells that controls the mass and functions of organelles by degrading excess or defective portions. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle with specific functions that dynamically changes its mass and shape to maintain or regulate its functions. Elaborate mechanisms are required for the proper degradation of the ER.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Debora Gentile, Marianna Esposito, Paolo Grumati
Summary: Autophagy is a cellular cleaning system that maintains metabolic balance and plays a crucial role in sustaining malignant cellular growth during tumorigenesis.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Yao Liu, Yonglun Lv, An Wei, Mujin Guo, Yanjie Li, Jiaojiao Wang, Xinhua Wang, Yan Bao
Summary: This article reviews the unfolded protein response (UPR), one of the systematic strategies used by eukaryotic cells to respond to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The UPR plays a crucial role not only in stress response, but also in plant growth and development.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sung-Min Park, Tae-Il Kang, Jae-Seon So
Summary: XBP1s is an active transcription factor that plays a critical role in regulating UPR target genes to reduce ER stress. It also controls the transcription of genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism, as well as immune responses. Understanding the target genes and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of XBP1s will aid in developing new therapeutic targets for various diseases.
Article
Plant Sciences
Navpreet Kaur, Pramod Kaitheri Kandoth
Summary: This study identified and characterized the tomato bZIP60 (SlbZIP60) and showed that it undergoes splicing in response to ER stress-inducing agent tunicamycin, as well as in certain plant tissues in a physiologically activated manner. SlbZIP60 also responds to environmental stresses, heat, and virus infection.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Marijn Kuijpers, Volker Haucke
Summary: The role of macroautophagy/autophagy in neurons and the physiological substrates in healthy neurons are still largely unknown. Research has shown that loss of neuronal autophagy can affect neurotransmission and calcium homeostasis in axonal and synaptic regions.
Review
Cell Biology
Wei Chen, Xueqian Ouyang, Linxi Chen, Lanfang Li
Summary: Selective autophagy is a process in which specific intracellular components are degraded through the activity of selective autophagy receptors. CALCOCO family proteins are newly identified receptors that play important roles in different selective autophagy pathways, including ER-phagy, Golgiphagy, mitophagy, and xenophagy. These proteins interact with ATG8/LC3 and ubiquitin to mediate cargo recruitment and degradation.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhong-Qiu Yu, Ling-Ling Sun, Zhao-Di Jiang, Xiao-Man Liu, Dan Zhao, Hai-Tao Wang, Wan-Zhong He, Meng-Qiu Dong, Li-Lin Du
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Zhao-Qian Pan, Li-Lin Du
Summary: In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Atg1 kinase activity relies on Atg11, with a 62 amino acid region of Atg11 sufficient for activation. Atg1 is activated through dimerization facilitated by Atg11, leading to cis-autophosphorylation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ying-Ying Wang, Jianxiu Zhang, Xiao-Man Liu, Yulu Li, Jianhua Sui, Meng-Qiu Dong, Keqiong Ye, Li-Lin Du
Summary: This study uncovers the mechanism of how a receptor called Nbr1 in fission yeast recognizes specific protein cargos, revealing the mechanism of autophagy cargo recognition. The research shows that Nbr1-ZZ1 can not only recognize the N-termini of cargos via a conserved acidic pocket, but also engage other parts of the cargos in a cargo-specific manner.
Article
Cell Biology
Zhong-Qiu Yu, Xiao-Man Liu, Dan Zhao, Dan-Dan Xu, Li-Lin Du
Summary: The study introduces a new method, Pil1 cotethering assay, for detecting protein-protein interactions in fission yeast cells. It can detect not only binary protein-protein interactions, but also ternary and quaternary protein-protein interactions, making it a versatile tool for yeast researchers.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Da-Jie Deng, Qian-Cheng Xia, Guo-Song Jia, Fang Suo, Jia-Li Chen, Li Sun, Jin-Qing Wang, Shuang-Min Wang, Li-Lin Du, Yamei Wang, Quan-Wen Jin
Summary: Using a GBP-mCherry fusion protein as a tool, this study perturbed the natural functions of kinetochore proteins in fission yeast. The expression of this fusion protein in cells caused sensitivity to high temperature and TBZ, as well as defects in faithful chromosome segregation. These findings demonstrate the potential of using GBPs to study protein functions in various model systems.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sergio Tusso, Fang Suo, Yue Liang, Li-Lin Du, Jochen B. W. Wolf
Summary: This study provides evidence for the genomic shock hypothesis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, showing that hybridization activates transposable elements (TEs) and the degree of genomic admixture is positively correlated with the number of LTR retrotransposons.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Xiao-Ran Zhang, Lei Zhao, Fang Suo, Yadong Gao, Qingcui Wu, Xiangbing Qi, Li-Lin Du
Summary: Conditional degron technologies, such as the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system, are important tools for biological research. In this study, we improved the AID system for the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe by optimizing all three components: the AID degron, the small-molecule inducer, and the inducer-responsive F-box protein. Our improved AID system showed inducible lethality for 10 essential genes, including ones that could not be effectively inactivated using a previously published AID system.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Dan-Dan Xu, Li-Lin Du
Summary: Autophagy is a process that transports cellular components to the vacuole/lysosome, playing important roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis and stress resistance. In the fission yeast, autophagy is crucial for cell survival during nutrient depletion and ER stress. Research on fission yeast autophagy machinery has revealed similarities and differences with other eukaryotic models, such as budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recent discoveries of selective autophagy pathways in fission yeast provide new insights into cargo selectivity in autophagy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jianxiu Zhang, Ying-Ying Wang, Zhao-Qian Pan, Yulu Li, Jianhua Sui, Li-Lin Du, Keqiong Ye
Summary: This study reveals the role of Nbr1 in cargo selectivity in autophagy and its binding mechanism with Ams1. The FW domain of Nbr1 recognizes the N-terminal di-glycine and tetrameric assembly of Ams1, while fission yeast Nbr1 uses the ZZ domain to bind Ams1. These findings enrich our understanding of Nbr1-mediated cargo recognition.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Zhao-Qian Pan, Keqiong Ye, Li-Lin Du
Summary: In selective macroautophagy, autophagy receptors play a crucial role in determining cargo specificity. Most autophagy receptors are found only in certain eukaryotic lineages, except for Nbr1 proteins, which are conserved across eukaryotes. Our study discovered that the FW domain in the Nbr1 protein of Chaetomium thermophilum can bind to the autophagy cargo alpha-mannosidase Ams1, and this binding promotes the autophagic delivery of Ams1 into vacuoles. We also revealed the structural mechanism of Ams1 recognition by the FW domain through solving the structure of the FW-Ams1 complex.
Article
Biology
Mickael De Carvalho, Guo-Song Jia, Ananya Nidamangala Srinivasa, R. Blake Billmyre, Yan-Hui Xu, Jeffrey J. Lange, Ibrahim M. Sabbarini, Li-Lin Du, Sarah E. Zanders
Summary: Meiotic drivers are selfish elements that can bias their own transmission in the genetic offspring and are thought to have short evolutionary lifespan. However, the study on the evolutionary history of wtf meiotic drivers in fission yeast suggests that these driving systems can still be maintained for a long time.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Guo-Song Jia, Wen-Cai Zhang, Yue Liang, Xi-Han Liu, Nicholas Rhind, Alison Pidoux, Michael Brysch-Herzberg, Li-Lin Du
Summary: This study sequenced the genomes of the recently identified fission yeast species S. osmophilus and found it to be most closely related to S. octosporus. Comparative analyses using the S. osmophilus reference genome revealed conservation of repeat arrangements and sequence motifs in centromere cores, identified telomeric sequences composed of 2 types of repeats, and characterized the evolution and transfer of transposons and mitochondrial selfish elements.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Manuel Lera-Ramirez, Jurg Bahler, Juan Mata, Kim Rutherford, Charles S. Hoffman, Sarah Lambert, Snezhana Oliferenko, Sophie G. Martin, Kathleen L. Gould, Li-Lin Du, Sarah A. Sabatinos, Susan L. Forsburg, Olaf Nielsen, Paul Nurse, Valerie Wood
Summary: Standardized nomenclature for genes, gene products, and isoforms is crucial for clear communication and efficient sharing of scientific data. This publication extends the fission yeast clade gene nomenclature guidelines to support curation efforts at PomBase, introducing guidelines for noncoding RNA genes and updating allele and genotype nomenclature. Adoption of these rules will improve consistency in gene and genotype nomenclature and enhance machine-readability in publications or datasets.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chen-Xi Zou, Zhu-Hui Ma, Zhao-Di Jiang, Zhao-Qian Pan, Dan-Dan Xu, Fang Suo, Guang-Can Shao, Meng-Qiu Dong, Li-Lin Du, Sharon A. Tooze, Richard Hodge, Richard Hodge, Richard Hodge, Richard Hodge
Summary: This study reveals the requirement of a conserved ER-shaping protein for ER-phagy and nucleophagy processes in yeast. Lack of this protein leads to the accumulation of cargo structures (not enclosed within autophagosomes) in the cytoplasm.
