VPS34 Acetylation Controls Its Lipid Kinase Activity and the Initiation of Canonical and Non-canonical Autophagy

Mol Cell. 2017 Sep 21;67(6):907-921.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.07.024. Epub 2017 Aug 24.

Abstract

The class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase VPS34 plays a key role in the regulation of vesicular trafficking and macroautophagy. So far, we know little about the molecular mechanism of VPS34 activation besides its interaction with regulatory proteins to form complexes. Here, we report that VPS34 is specifically acetylated by the acetyltransferase p300, and p300-mediated acetylation represses VPS34 activity. Acetylation at K771 directly diminishes the affinity of VPS34 for its substrate PI, while acetylation at K29 hinders the VPS34-Beclin 1 core complex formation. Inactivation of p300 induces VPS34 deacetylation, PI3P production, and autophagy, even in AMPK-/-, TSC2-/-, or ULK1-/- cells. In fasting mice, liver autophagy correlates well with p300 inactivation/VPS34 deacetylation, which facilitates the clearance of lipid droplets in hepatocytes. Thus, p300-dependent VPS34 acetylation/deacetylation is the physiological key to VPS34 activation, which controls the initiation of canonical autophagy and of non-canonical autophagy in which the upstream kinases of VPS34 can be bypassed.

MeSH terms

  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Acetylation
  • Animals
  • Autophagy*
  • Autophagy-Related Protein-1 Homolog / genetics
  • Autophagy-Related Protein-1 Homolog / metabolism
  • Beclin-1 / metabolism
  • Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Female
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Hepatocytes / enzymology*
  • Hepatocytes / pathology
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Lipid Metabolism*
  • Liver / enzymology*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism*
  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational*
  • RNA Interference
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stress, Physiological*
  • Transfection
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors / genetics
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • BECN1 protein, human
  • Beclin-1
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates
  • TSC2 protein, human
  • Tsc2 protein, mouse
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors
  • p300-CBP-associated factor
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • PIK3C3 protein, mouse
  • Autophagy-Related Protein-1 Homolog
  • ULK1 protein, human
  • Ulk1 protein, mouse
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases