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Kibra and aPKC regulate starvation-induced autophagy in Drosophila

Journal Article · · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
 [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141 (Korea, Republic of)
  2. Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States)

Autophagy is a bulk degradation system that functions in response to cellular stresses such as metabolic stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress, and developmental processes. During autophagy, cytoplasmic components are captured in double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes. The autophagosome fuses with the lysosome, producing a vacuole known as an autolysosome. The cellular components are degraded by lysosomal proteases and recycled. Autophagy is important for maintaining cellular homeostasis, and the process is evolutionarily conserved. Kibra is an upstream regulator of the hippo signaling pathway, which controls organ size by affecting cell growth, proliferation, and apoptosis. Kibra is mainly localized in the apical membrane domain of epithelial cells and acts as a scaffold protein. We found that Kibra is required for autophagy to function properly. The absence of Kibra caused defects in the formation of autophagic vesicles and autophagic degradation. We also found that the well-known cell polarity protein aPKC interacts with Kibra, and its activity affects autophagy upstream of Kibra. Constitutively active aPKC decreased autophagic vesicle formation and autophagic degradation. We confirmed the interaction between aPKC and Kibra in S2 cells and Drosophila larva. Taken together, our data suggest that Kibra and aPKC are essential for regulating starvation-induced autophagy. - Highlights: • Loss of Kibra causes defects in autophagosome formation and autophagic degradation. • Constitutively-active aPKCs negatively regulate autophagy. • Kibra interacts with aPKC in vitro and in vivo. • Kibra regulates autophagy downstream of aPKC.

OSTI ID:
22594111
Journal Information:
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Journal Name: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal Issue: 1-2 Vol. 468; ISSN 0006-291X; ISSN BBRCA9
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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