Zinc deficiency: An unexpected trigger for autophagy

Binbin Ding; Qing Zhong

doi:10.1074/jbc.H116.762948

Zinc deficiency: An unexpected trigger for autophagy

J Biol Chem. 2017 May 19;292(20):8531-8532. doi: 10.1074/jbc.H116.762948.

Authors

Binbin Ding¹, Qing Zhong²

Affiliations

¹ Center for Autophagy Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390.
² Center for Autophagy Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

Cells respond to deprivation of certain nutrients such as glucose or nitrogen by inducing autophagy, reclaiming pieces of proteins for use in critical functions. A recent study shows that, in yeast, zinc depletion acts in a similar fashion. Depletion of this essential nutrient induces non-selective autophagy by inhibiting TORC1, leading to release and recycling of zinc from degraded proteins.

MeSH terms

Autophagy*
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
Multiprotein Complexes / genetics
Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism
Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
Zinc / metabolism*

Substances

Multiprotein Complexes
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
Zinc

Grants and funding

R01 GM116908/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States