Deciphering functional roles and interplay between Beclin1 and Beclin2 in autophagosome formation and mitophagy.

ABSTRACT: The degradation of macromolecules and organelles by the process of autophagy is critical for cellular homeostasis and is often compromised during aging and disease. Beclin1 and Beclin2 are implicated in autophagy induction, and these homologs share a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity but have divergent N-terminal regions. Here, we investigated the functions of the Beclin homologs in regulating autophagy and mitophagy, a specialized form of autophagy that targets mitochondria. Both Beclin homologs contributed to autophagosome formation, but a mechanism of autophagosome formation independent of either Beclin homolog occurred in response to starvation or mitochondrial damage. Mitophagy was compromised only in Beclin1-deficient HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts because of

SUBMITTER: Quiles JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10019900 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature