Self and nonself: how autophagy targets mitochondria and bacteria

Felix Randow; Richard J Youle

doi:10.1016/j.chom.2014.03.012

Self and nonself: how autophagy targets mitochondria and bacteria

Cell Host Microbe. 2014 Apr 9;15(4):403-11. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2014.03.012.

Authors

Felix Randow¹, Richard J Youle²

Affiliations

¹ MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Division of Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK; University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that transports cytoplasmic components for degradation into lysosomes. Selective autophagy can capture physically large objects, including cell-invading pathogens and damaged or superfluous organelles. Selectivity is achieved by cargo receptors that detect substrate-associated "eat-me" signals. In this Review, we discuss basic principles of selective autophagy and compare the "eat-me" signals and cargo receptors that mediate autophagy of bacteria and bacteria-derived endosymbionts-i.e., mitochondria.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Autophagy / immunology*
Bacteria / immunology*
Humans
Lysosomes / metabolism
Mitochondria / metabolism*
Mitophagy*
Signal Transduction / immunology

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding