ATG and ESCRT control multiple modes of microautophagy.

The discovery of microautophagy, the direct engulfment of cytoplasmic material by the lysosome, dates back to 1966 in a morphological study of mammalian cells by Christian de Duve. Since then, studies on microautophagy have shifted toward the elucidation of the physiological significance of the process. However, in contrast to macroautophagy, studies on the molecular mechanisms of microautophagy have been limited. Only recent studies revealed that ATG proteins involved in macroautophagy are also operative in several types of microautophagy and that ESCRT proteins, responsible for the multivesicular body pathway, play a central role in most microautophagy processes. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on the function of ATG and ESCRT proteins in microautophagy.

Regulation of Peroxisome Homeostasis by Post-Translational Modification in the Methylotrophic Yeast Komagataella phaffii.

The methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (synoym Pichia pastoris) can grow on methanol with an associated proliferation of peroxisomes, which are subsequently degraded by pexophagy upon depletion of methanol. Two cell wall integrity and stress response component (WSC) family proteins (Wsc1 and Wsc3) sense the extracellular methanol concentration and transmit the methanol signal to Rom2. This stimulates the activation of transcription factors (Mxr1, Trm1, and Mit1 etc.), leading to the induction of methanol-metabolizing enzymes (methanol-induced gene expression) and synthesis of huge peroxisomes. Methanol-induced gene expression is repressed by the addition of ethanol (ethanol repression). This repression is not conducted directly by ethanol but rather by acetyl-CoA synthesized from ethanol by sequential reactions, including alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, and acetyl-CoA synthetase. During ethanol repression, Mxr1 is inactivated by phosphorylation. Peroxisomes are degraded by pexophagy on depletion of methanol and this event is triggered by phosphorylation of Atg30 located at the peroxisome membrane. In the presence of methanol, Wsc1 and Wsc3 repress pexophagy by transmitting the methanol signal via the MAPK cascade to the transcription factor Rlm1, which induces phosphatases involved in dephosphorylation of Atg30. Upon methanol consumption, repression of Atg30 phosphorylation is released, resulting in initiation of pexophagy. Physiological significance of these machineries involved in peroxisome homeostasis and their post-translational modification is also discussed in association with the lifestyle of methylotrophic yeast in the phyllosphere.

The methanol sensor Wsc1 and MAPK Mpk1 suppress degradation of methanol-induced peroxisomes in methylotrophic yeast.

In nature, methanol is produced during the hydrolysis of pectin in plant cell walls. Methanol on plant leaves shows circadian dynamics, to which methanol-utilizing phyllosphere microorganisms adapt. In the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (Kp; also known as Pichia pastoris), the plasma membrane protein KpWsc1 senses environmental methanol concentrations and transmits this information to induce the expression of genes for methanol metabolism and the formation of huge peroxisomes. In this study, we show that KpWsc1 and its downstream MAPK, KpMpk1, negatively regulate pexophagy in the presence of methanol concentrations greater than 0.15%. Although KpMpk1 was not necessary for expression of methanol-inducible genes and peroxisome biogenesis, KpMpk1, the transcription factor KpRlm1 and phosphatases were found to suppress pexophagy by controlling phosphorylation of KpAtg30, the key factor in regulation of pexophagy. We reveal at the molecular level how the single methanol sensor KpWsc1 commits the cell to peroxisome synthesis and degradation according to the methanol concentration, and we discuss the physiological significance of regulating pexophagy for survival in the phyllosphere. This article has an associated First Person interview with Shin Ohsawa, joint first author of the paper.

A peroxisome deficiency-induced reductive cytosol state up-regulates the brain-derived neurotrophic factor pathway.

The peroxisome is a subcellular organelle that functions in essential metabolic pathways, including biosynthesis of plasmalogens, fatty acid ß-oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids, and degradation of hydrogen peroxide. Peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBDs) manifest as severe dysfunction in multiple organs, including the central nervous system (CNS), but the pathogenic mechanisms in PBDs are largely unknown. Because CNS integrity is coordinately established and maintained by neural cell interactions, we here investigated whether cell-cell communication is impaired and responsible for the neurological defects associated with PBDs. Results from a noncontact co-culture system consisting of primary hippocampal neurons with glial cells revealed that a peroxisome-deficient astrocytic cell line secretes increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), resulting in axonal branching of the neurons. Of note, the BDNF expression in astrocytes was not affected by defects in plasmalogen biosynthesis and peroxisomal fatty acid ß-oxidation in the astrocytes. Instead, we found that cytosolic reductive states caused by a mislocalized catalase in the peroxisome-deficient cells induce the elevation in BDNF secretion. Our results suggest that peroxisome deficiency dysregulates neuronal axogenesis by causing a cytosolic reductive state in astrocytes. We conclude that astrocytic peroxisomes regulate BDNF expression and thereby support neuronal integrity and function.

Evolution from covalent conjugation to non-covalent interaction in the ubiquitin-like ATG12 system.

Ubiquitin or ubiquitin-like proteins can be covalently conjugated to multiple proteins that do not necessarily have binding interfaces. Here, we show that an evolutionary transition from covalent conjugation to non-covalent interaction has occurred in the ubiquitin-like autophagy-related 12 (ATG12) conjugation system. ATG12 is covalently conjugated to its sole substrate, ATG5, by a ubiquitylation-like mechanism. However, the apicomplexan parasites Plasmodium and Toxoplasma and some yeast species such as Komagataella phaffii (previously Pichia pastoris) lack the E2-like enzyme ATG10 and the most carboxy (C)-terminal glycine of ATG12, both of which are required for covalent linkage. Instead, ATG12 in these organisms forms a non-covalent complex with ATG5. This non-covalent ATG12-ATG5 complex retains the ability to facilitate ATG8-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugation. These results suggest that ubiquitin-like covalent conjugation can evolve to a simpler non-covalent interaction, most probably when the system has a limited number of targets.

Peroxisomal Fba2p and Tal2p complementally function in the rearrangement pathway for xylulose 5-phosphate in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris.

In this work, we analyzed several genes participating in the rearrangement pathway for xylulose 5-phosphate (Xu5P) in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris (syn. Komagataella phaffii). P. pastoris has two set of genes for fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA1 and FBA2) and transaldolase (TAL1 and TAL2), although there are single-copy genes for fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP1) and transketolase (TKL1), respectively. Expressions of FBP1 and TAL2 were upregulated by non-fermentative carbon sources, especially methanol was the best inducer for them, and FBA2 was induced only by methanol. On the other hand, FBA1, TAL1 and TKL1 showed constitutive expression. Strain fbp1Δ showed severe growth defect on methanol and non-fermentable carbon sources, and growth rate of strain fba2Δ in methanol medium was slightly decreased. Moreover, Fba2p and Tal2p possessed peroxisome targeting signal type 1 (PTS1), and EGFP-Fba2p and EGFP-Tal2p were found to be localized in peroxisomes. From these findings, it was suggested that Fba2p, Fbp1p and Tal2p participate in the rearrangement pathway for Xu5P in peroxisomes, and that the altered Calvin cycle and non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway involving Tal2p function in a complementary manner.

Ethanol represses the expression of methanol-inducible genes via acetyl-CoA synthesis in the yeast Komagataella phaffii.

In methylotrophic yeasts, the expression of methanol-inducible genes is repressed by ethanol even in the presence of methanol, a phenomenon called ethanol repression. The mechanism of ethanol repression in Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) was studied, and acetyl-CoA synthesis from ethanol by sequential reactions of alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase and acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) was involved in ethanol repression. Molecular analysis of the ACS-encoding gene product KpAcs1 revealed that its N-terminal motif, which is conserved in methylotrophic yeasts, was required for ethanol repression. ACS activity was downregulated during methanol-induced gene expression, which partially depended on autophagy. In addition, acetyl-CoA synthesis and phosphorylation of a transcription factor KpMxr1 were found to contribute to ethanol repression in a synergistic manner.

Three Distinct Types of Microautophagy Based on Membrane Dynamics and Molecular Machineries.

Microautophagy is originally defined as lysosomal (vacuolar) membrane dynamics to directly enwrap and transport cytosolic components into the lumen of the lytic organelle. Molecular details of microautophagy had remained unknown until genetic studies in yeast identified a set of proteins required for the process. Subsequent studies with other experimental model organisms resulted in a series of discoveries that accompanied an expansion of the definition of microautophagy to also encompass endosomal membrane dynamics. These findings, however, still impose puzzling, non-integrated images as to the molecular mechanism of microautophagy. By reviewing recent studies on microautophagy in various experimental systems, we propose the classification of microautophagy into three types, as the basis for developing a comprehensive view of the process.

Role of Acyl Chain Composition of Phosphatidylcholine in Tafazzin-Mediated Remodeling of Cardiolipin in Liposomes.

Remodeling of the acyl chain compositions of cardiolipin (CL) species by the transacylase tafazzin is an important process for maintaining optimal mitochondrial functions. The results of mechanistic studies on the tafazzin-mediated transacylation from phosphatidylcholine (PC) to monolyso-CL (MLCL) in artificial lipid membranes are controversial. The present study investigated the role of the acyl chain composition of PC in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae tafazzin-mediated remodeling of CL by examining the structural factors responsible for the superior acyl donor ability of dipalmitoleoyl (16:1) PC over dipalmitoyl (16:0) PC. To this end, we synthesized systematic derivatives of dipalmitoleoyl PC; for example, the location of the cis double bond was migrated from the Δ9-position toward either end of the acyl chains (the Δ5- or Δ13-position), the cis double bond in the sn-1 or sn-2 position or both, was changed to a trans form, and palmitoleoyl and palmitoyl groups were exchanged in the sn-1 and sn-2 positions, maintaining similar PC fluidities. Analyses of the tafazzin-mediated transacylation from these PCs to sn-2'-MLCL(18:1-18:1/18:1-OH) in the liposomal membrane revealed that tafazzin strictly discriminates the molecular configuration of the acyl chains of PCs, including their glycerol positions (sn-1 or sn-2); however, the effects of PC fluidity on the reaction may not be neglected. On the basis of the findings described herein, we discuss the relevance of the so-called thermodynamic remodeling hypothesis that presumes no acyl selectivity of tafazzin.

Evidence for ESCRT- and clathrin-dependent microautophagy.

Microautophagy refers to a mode of autophagy in which the lysosomal or vacuolar membrane invaginates and directly engulfs target components. The molecular machinery of membrane dynamics driving microautophagy is still elusive. Using immunochemical monitoring of yeast vacuolar transmembrane proteins, Vph1 and Pho8, fused to fluorescent proteins, we obtained evidence showing an induction of microautophagy after a diauxic shift in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Components of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport machinery were found to be required for this process, and the gateway protein of the machinery, Vps27, was observed to change its localization onto the vacuolar membrane after a diauxic shift. We revealed the functional importance of Vps27's interaction with clathrin in this microautophagy that also contributed to uptake of lipid droplets into the vacuole. This study sheds light on the molecular mechanism of microautophagy, which does not require the core Atg proteins.

Experimental Systems to Study Yeast Pexophagy.

Peroxisome abundance is tightly regulated according to the physiological contexts, through regulations of both proliferation and degradation of the organelles. Here, we describe detailed methods to analyze processes for autophagic degradation of peroxisomes, termed pexophagy, in yeast organisms. The assay systems include a method for biochemical detection of pexophagy completion, and one for microscopic visualization of specialized membrane structures acting in pexophagy. As a model yeast organism utilized in studies of pexophagy, the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris) is referred to in this chapter and related information on the studies with baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is also included. The described techniques facilitate elucidation of molecular machineries for pexophagy and understanding of peroxisome-selective autophagic pathways.

Autophagy-independent function of Atg8 in lipid droplet dynamics in yeast.

Dynamic features of lipid droplets include growth and degradation of the organelle. Autophagy, a system for the transport of cytoplasmic components to be degraded into the lysosome/vacuole, is regarded to be responsible for the degradation of lipid droplets. Atg8 protein in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is recruited to membrane structures synthesized during autophagy via a lipidation process. In this study, we report a novel function of Atg8 in lipid droplet dynamics. We found that loss of Atg8 specifically resulted in a decrease in the quantity of lipid droplets in cells at stationary phase. This protein was detected in a lipid droplet fraction independent of its lipidation. Loss of Atg8 hemifusion activity also caused a decrease in the quantity of lipid droplets. Consistent with these results, isolated lipid droplets underwent assembly into large clusters when incubated with Atg8 possessing hemifusion activity. The loss of Atg8 did not reduce the quantity of lipid droplets in a mutant defective in lipolysis, another system for lipid droplet degradation, which strongly suggests the function of Atg8 in antagonizing lipolysis. Together these results indicate a specific function of Atg8 in maintaining the quantity of lipid droplets that is independent of its autophagic function.

Mechanism for Remodeling of the Acyl Chain Composition of Cardiolipin Catalyzed by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tafazzin.

Remodeling of the acyl chains of cardiolipin (CL) is responsible for final molecular composition of mature CL after de novo CL synthesis in mitochondria. Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergoes tafazzin-mediated CL remodeling, in which tafazzin serves as a transacylase from phospholipids to monolyso-CL (MLCL). In light of the diversity of the acyl compositions of mature CL between different organisms, the mechanism underlying tafazzin-mediated transacylation remains to be elucidated. We investigated the mechanism responsible for transacylation using purified S. cerevisiae tafazzin with liposomes composed of various sets of acyl donors and acceptors. The results revealed that tafazzin efficiently catalyzes transacylation in liposomal membranes with highly ordered lipid bilayer structure. Tafazzin elicited unique acyl chain specificity against phosphatidylcholine (PC) as follows: linoleoyl (18:2) > oleoyl (18:1) = palmitoleoyl (16:1) ≫ palmitoyl (16:0). In these reactions, tafazzin selectively removed the sn-2 acyl chain of PC and transferred it into the sn-1 and sn-2 positions of MLCL isomers at equivalent rates. We demonstrated for the first time that MLCL and dilyso-CL have inherent abilities to function as an acyl donor to monolyso-PC and acyl acceptor from PC, respectively. Furthermore, a Barth syndrome-associated tafazzin mutant (H77Q) was shown to completely lack the catalytic activity in our assay. It is difficult to reconcile the present results with the so-called thermodynamic remodeling hypothesis, which premises that tafazzin reacylates MLCL by unsaturated acyl chains only in disordered non-bilayer lipid domain. The acyl specificity of tafazzin may be one of the factors that determine the acyl composition of mature CL in S. cerevisiae mitochondria.

Pexophagy in yeasts.

Pexophagy, selective degradation of peroxisomes via autophagy, is the main system for reducing organelle abundance. Elucidation of the molecular machinery of pexophagy has been pioneered in studies of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the methylotrophic yeasts Pichia pastoris and Hansenula polymorpha. Recent analyses using these yeasts have elucidated the molecular machineries of pexophagy, especially in terms of the interactions and modifications of the so-called adaptor proteins required for guiding autophagic membrane biogenesis on the organelle surface. Based on the recent findings, functional relevance of pexophagy and another autophagic pathway, mitophagy (selective autophagy of mitochondria), is discussed. We also discuss the physiological importance of pexophagy in these yeast systems.

Regulation of nitrate and methylamine metabolism by multiple nitrogen sources in the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii.

The methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii, which is capable of growth on methanol as a sole carbon source, can proliferate on the leaf surface of Arabidopsis thaliana. Previously, we demonstrated that adaptation to a change in the major available nitrogen source from nitrate to methylamine during the host plant aging was crucial for yeast survival on the leaf environment. In this report, we investigated the regulatory profile of nitrate and methylamine metabolism in the presence of multiple nitrogen sources in C. boidinii. The transcript level of nitrate reductase (Ynr1) gene was induced by nitrate and nitrite, and was not repressed by the coexistence with other nitrogen sources. In contrast, the transcript level of amine oxidase (Amo1) gene, which was induced by methylamine, was significantly repressed by the coexistence with ammonium or glutamine. In addition, we investigated the intracellular dynamics of Ynr1 during the nitrogen source shift from nitrate to other compounds. Under these tested conditions, Ynr1 was effectively transported to the vacuole via selective autophagy only during the shift from nitrate to methylamine. Moreover, Ynr1 was subject to degradation after the shift from nitrate to nitrate plus methylamine medium even though nitrate was still available. These regulatory profiles may reflect life style of nitrogen utilization in this yeast living in the phyllosphere.

A defect of the vacuolar putative lipase Atg15 accelerates degradation of lipid droplets through lipolysis.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are the conserved organelles for the deposit of neutral lipids, and function as reservoirs of membrane and energy sources. To date, functional links between autophagy and LD dynamics have not been fully elucidated. Here, we report that a vacuolar putative lipase, Atg15, required for degradation of autophagic bodies, is crucial for the maintenance of LD amount in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the stationary phase. Mutant analyses revealed that the putative lipase motif and vacuolar localization of Atg15 are important for the maintenance of LD amount. Loss of autophagosome formation by simultaneous deletion of core ATG genes cancelled the reduction in the LD amount in ATG15-deleted cells, indicating that degradation of autophagic bodies accounts for the functional involvement of Atg15 in LD dynamics. The reduced level of LDs in the mutant strain was dependent on Tgl3 and Tgl4, major lipases for lipolysis in S. cerevisiae. An altered phosphorylation status of Tgl3, higher accumulation of Tgl4, and closer associations of Tgl3 and Tgl4 with LDs were detected in the ATG15-deleted cells. Furthermore, increased levels of downstream metabolites of lipolysis in the mutant strain strongly suggested enhanced lipolytic activity caused by loss of ATG15. Our data provide evidence for a novel link between autophagic flux and LD dynamics integrated with Atg15 activity.

Yeast nitrogen utilization in the phyllosphere during plant lifespan under regulation of autophagy.

Recently, microbe-plant interactions at the above-ground parts have attracted great attention. Here we describe nitrogen metabolism and regulation of autophagy in the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii, proliferating and surviving on the leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. After quantitative analyses of yeast growth on the leaves of A. thaliana with the wild-type and several mutant yeast strains, we showed that on young leaves, nitrate reductase (Ynr1) was necessary for yeast proliferation, and the yeast utilized nitrate as nitrogen source. On the other hand, a newly developed methylamine sensor revealed appearance of methylamine on older leaves, and methylamine metabolism was induced in C. boidinii, and Ynr1 was subjected to degradation. Biochemical and microscopic analysis of Ynr1 in vitro during a shift of nitrogen source from nitrate to methylamine revealed that Ynr1 was transported to the vacuole being the cargo for biosynthetic cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway, and degraded. Our results reveal changes in the nitrogen source composition for phyllospheric yeasts during plant aging, and subsequent adaptation of the yeasts to this environmental change mediated by regulation of autophagy.

Mitochondrial impairment triggers cytosolic oxidative stress and cell death following proteasome inhibition.

Dysfunctions of the mitochondria and the ubiquitin-proteasome system, as well as generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), are linked to many aging-related neurodegenerative disorders. However, the order of these events remains unclear. Here, we show that the initial impairment occurs in mitochondria under proteasome inhibition. Fluorescent redox probe measurements revealed that proteasome inhibition led to mitochondrial oxidation followed by cytosolic oxidation, which could be prevented by a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant or antioxidative enzyme. These observations demonstrated that proteasome dysfunction causes damage to mitochondria, leading them to increase their ROS production and resulting in cytosolic oxidation. Moreover, several antioxidants found in foods prevented intracellular oxidation and improved cell survival by maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential and reducing mitochondrial ROS generation. However, these antioxidant treatments did not decrease the accumulation of protein aggregates caused by inhibition of the proteasome. These results suggested that antioxidative protection of mitochondria maintains cellular integrity, providing novel insights into the mechanisms of cell death caused by proteasome dysfunction.

Tor and the Sin3-Rpd3 complex regulate expression of the mitophagy receptor protein Atg32 in yeast.

When mitophagy is induced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the mitochondrial outer membrane protein ScAtg32 interacts with the cytosolic adaptor protein ScAtg11. ScAtg11 then delivers the mitochondria to the pre-autophagosomal structure for autophagic degradation. Despite the importance of ScAtg32 for mitophagy, the expression and functional regulation of ScAtg32 are poorly understood. In this study, we identified and characterized the ScAtg32 homolog in Pichia pastoris (PpAtg32). Interestingly, we found that PpAtg32 was barely expressed before induction of mitophagy and was rapidly expressed after induction of mitophagy by starvation. Additionally, PpAtg32 was phosphorylated when mitophagy was induced. We found that PpAtg32 expression was suppressed by Tor and the downstream PpSin3-PpRpd3 complex. Inhibition of Tor by rapamycin induced PpAtg32 expression, but could neither phosphorylate PpAtg32 nor induce mitophagy. Based on these findings, we conclude that the Tor and PpSin3-PpRpd3 pathway regulates PpAtg32 expression, but not PpAtg32 phosphorylation.

The emerging role of autophagy in peroxisome dynamics and lipid metabolism of phyllosphere microorganisms.

Eukaryotic microorganisms resident in the phyllosphere (above-ground, plant-surface environments) undergo dynamic changes in nutrient conditions and adapt their metabolic pathways during proliferation or in the course of infection of host plants. Some of these metabolic switches are accomplished by regulation of organelle abundance. Recent studies have shown that autophagy plays a major role in reducing the organelle quantity, thereby contributing to the metabolic switch required for survival or virulence of the microorganisms in the phyllosphere. In this mini review the metabolic pathways in several phytopathogenic fungi and the non-infectious asporogenous yeast Candida boidinii, which involve lipid droplets and peroxisomes, are summarized. The physiological functions of Atg (Autophagy-related) proteins in these organisms are discussed in relation to the dynamics of these two important organelles.