Omegasomes control formation, expansion, and closure of autophagosomes.

Autophagy, an essential cellular process for maintaining cellular homeostasis and eliminating harmful cytoplasmic objects, involves the de novo formation of double-membraned autophagosomes that engulf and degrade cellular debris, protein aggregates, damaged organelles, and pathogens. Central to this process is the phagophore, which forms from donor membranes rich in lipids synthesized at various cellular sites, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which has emerged as a primary source. The ER-associated omegasomes, characterized by their distinctive omega-shaped structure and accumulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P), play a pivotal role in autophagosome formation. Omegasomes are thought to serve as platforms for phagophore assembly by recruiting essential proteins such as DFCP1/ZFYVE1 and facilitating lipid transfer to expand the phagophore. Despite the critical importance of phagophore biogenesis, many aspects remain poorly understood, particularly the complete range of proteins involved in omegasome dynamics, and the detailed mechanisms of lipid transfer and membrane contact site formation.

In situ snapshots along a mammalian selective autophagy pathway.

Selective macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy) describes a process in which cytosolic material is engulfed in a double membrane organelle called an autophagosome. Autophagosomes are carriers responsible for delivering their content to a lytic compartment for destruction. The cargo can be of diverse origin, ranging from macromolecular complexes to protein aggregates, organelles, and even invading pathogens. Each cargo is unique in composition and size, presenting different challenges to autophagosome biogenesis. Among the largest cargoes targeted by the autophagy machinery are intracellular bacteria, which can, in the case of Salmonella, range from 2 to 5 µm in length and 0.5 to 1.5 µm in width. How phagophores form and expand on such a large cargo remains mechanistically unclear. Here, we used HeLa cells infected with an auxotrophic Salmonella to study the process of phagophore biogenesis using in situ correlative cryo-ET. We show that host cells generate multiple phagophores at the site of damaged Salmonella-containing vacuoles (SCVs). The observed double membrane structures range from disk-shaped to expanded cup-shaped phagophores, which have a thin intermembrane lumen with a dilating rim region and expand using the SCV, the outer membrane of Salmonella, or existing phagophores as templates. Phagophore rims establish different forms of contact with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) via structurally distinct molecular entities for membrane formation and expansion. Early omegasomes correlated with the marker Double-FYVE domain-Containing Protein 1 (DFCP1) are observed in close association with the ER without apparent membrane continuity. Our study provides insights into the formation of phagophores around one of the largest selective cargoes.

DFCP1 associates with lipid droplets.

Double FYVE-containing protein 1 (DFCP1) is ubiquitously expressed, participates in intracellular membrane trafficking and labels omegasomes through specific interactions with phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI3P). Previous studies showed that subcellular DFCP1 proteins display multi-organelle localization, including in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus and mitochondria. However, its localization and function on lipid droplets (LDs) remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that DFCP1 localizes to the LD upon oleic acid incubation. The ER-targeted domain of DFCP1 is indispensable for its LD localization, which is further enhanced by double FYVE domains. Inhibition of PI3P binding at the FYVE domain through wortmannin treatment or double mutation at C654S and C770S have no effect on DFCP1's LD localization. These show that the mechanisms for DFCP1 targeting the omegasome and LDs are different. DFCP1 deficiency in MEF cells causes an increase in LD number and reduces LD size. Interestingly, DFCP1 interacts with GTP-bound Rab18, an LD-associated protein. Taken together, our work demonstrates the dynamic localization of DFCP1 is regulated by nutritional status in response to cellular metabolism.

Vmp1 regulates PtdIns3P signaling during autophagosome formation in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Generation and turnover of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns3P) signaling is essential for autophagosome formation and other membrane traffic processes. In both Dictyostelium discoideum and mammalian cells, autophagosomes are formed from specialized regions of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), called omegasomes, which are enriched in the signaling lipid PtdIns3P. Vacuole membrane protein 1 (Vmp1) is a multispanning membrane protein localized at the ER that is required for autophagosome formation. There are conflicting reports in the literature as to whether Vmp1 is strictly required or not for autophagy-related PtdIns3P signaling and its hierarchical relationship with Atg1 and PI3K. We have now addressed these questions in the Dictyostelium model. We show that Dictyostelium cells lacking Vmp1 have elevated and aberrant PtdIns3P signaling on the ER, resulting in an increased and persistent recruitment of Atg18 and other autophagic proteins. This indicates that Vmp1 is not strictly essential for the generation of PtdIns3P signaling but rather suggests a role in the correct turnover or modulation of this signaling. Of interest, these PtdIns3P-enriched regions of the ER surround ubiquitinated protein aggregates but are unable to form functional autophagosomes. vmp1 null cells also have additional defects in macropinocytosis and growth, which are not shared by other autophagy mutants. Remarkably, we show that these defects and also the aberrant PtdIns3P distribution are largely suppressed by the concomitant loss of Atg1, indicating that aberrant autophagic signaling on the ER inhibits macropinocytosis. These results suggest that Atg1 functions upstream of Vmp1 in this signaling pathway and demonstrates a previously unappreciated link between abnormal autophagy signaling and macropinocytosis.

ATPase-regulated autophagosome biogenesis.

Omega-shaped domains of the endoplasmic reticulum, known as omegasomes, have been suggested to contribute to autophagosome biogenesis, although their exact function is not known. Omegasomes are characterized by the presence of the double FYVE domain containing protein ZFYVE1/DFCP1, but it has remained a paradox that depletion of ZFYVE1 does not prevent bulk macroautophagy/autophagy. We recently showed that ZFYVE1 contains an N-terminal ATPase domain which dimerizes upon ATP binding. Mutations in the ATPase domain that inhibit ATP binding or hydrolysis do not prevent omegasome expansion and maturation. However, omegasome constriction is inhibited by these mutations, which results in an increased lifetime and thereby higher number of omegasomes. Interestingly, whereas ZFYVE1 knockout or mutations do not significantly affect bulk autophagy, selective autophagy of mitochondria, protein aggregates and micronuclei is inhibited. We propose that ATP binding and hydrolysis control the di- or multimerization state of ZFYVE1 which could provide the mechanochemical energy to drive large omegasome constriction and autophagosome completion.

Novel insights into autophagosome biogenesis revealed by cryo-electron tomography.

Autophagosome biogenesis, from the appearance of the phagophore to elongation and closure into an autophagosome, is one of the long-lasting open questions in the autophagy field. Recent studies utilising cryo-electron tomography and detailed analysis of the image data have revealed new information on the membrane dynamics of these events, including the shape and dimensions of omegasomes, phagophores and autophagosomes, and their relationships with the organelles around them. One of the important predictions from the new results is that 60-80% of the autophagosome membrane area is delivered by direct lipid transfer or lipid synthesis. Cryo-electron tomography can be expected to provide new directions for autophagy research in the near future.

Sigma-1 receptor recruits LC3 mRNA to ER-associated omegasomes to promote localized LC3 translation enabling functional autophagy.

Autophagosome formation initiated on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated omegasome requires LC3. Translational regulation of LC3 biosynthesis is unexplored. Here we demonstrate that LC3 mRNA is recruited to omegasomes by directly binding to the ER transmembrane Sigma-1 receptor (S1R). Cell-based and in vitro reconstitution experiments show that S1R interacts with the 3' UTR of LC3 mRNA and ribosomes to promote LC3 translation. Strikingly, the 3' UTR of LC3 is also required for LC3 protein lipidation, thereby linking the mRNA-3' UTR to LC3 function. An autophagy-defective S1R mutant responsible for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cannot bind LC3 mRNA or induce LC3 translation. We propose a model wherein S1R de-represses LC3 mRNA via its 3' UTR at the ER, enabling LC3 biosynthesis and lipidation. Because several other LC3-related proteins use the same mechanism, our data reveal a conserved pathway for localized translation essential for autophagosome biogenesis with insights illuminating the molecular basis of a neurodegenerative disease.

C9orf72-Associated Dipeptide Repeat Expansions Perturb ER-Golgi Vesicular Trafficking, Inducing Golgi Fragmentation and ER Stress, in ALS/FTD.

Hexanucleotide repeat expansions (HREs) in the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) gene are the most frequent genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Both are debilitating neurodegenerative conditions affecting either motor neurons (ALS) in the brain and spinal cord or neurons in the frontal and/or temporal cortical lobes (FTD). HREs undergo repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation on both sense and anti-sense strands, generating five distinct dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs), poly-GA, -GR, -GP, -PA and -PR. Perturbed proteostasis is well-recognised in ALS pathogenesis, including processes affecting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi compartments. However, these mechanisms have not been well characterised for C9orf72-mediated ALS/FTD. In this study we demonstrate that C9orf72 DPRs polyGA, polyGR and polyGP (× 40 repeats) disrupt secretory protein transport from the ER to the Golgi apparatus in neuronal cells. Consistent with this finding, these DPRs also induce fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus, activate ER stress, and inhibit the formation of the omegasome, the precursor of the autophagosome that originates from ER membranes. We also demonstrate Golgi fragmentation in cells undergoing RAN translation that express polyGP. Furthermore, dysregulated ER-Golgi transport was confirmed in C9orf72 patient dermal fibroblasts. Evidence of aberrant ER-derived vesicles in spinal cord motor neurons from C9orf72 ALS patients compared to controls was also obtained. These data thus confirm that ER proteostasis and ER-Golgi transport is perturbed in C9orf72-ALS in the absence of protein over-expression. Hence this study identifies novel molecular mechanisms associated with the ER and Golgi compartments induced by the C9orf72 HRE.

A Dictyostelium model for BPAN disease reveals a functional relationship between the WDR45/WIPI4 homolog Wdr45l and Vmp1 in the regulation of autophagy-associated PtdIns3P and ER stress.

PROPPINs are conserved PtdIns3P-binding proteins required for autophagosome biogenesis that fold into a characteristic group of seven-bladed beta-propellers. Mutations in WDR45/WIPI4, a human member of this family, lead to BPAN, a rare form of neurodegeneration. We have generated mutants for the two PROPPIN proteins present in the model system Dictyostelium discoideum (Atg18 and Wdr45l) and characterized their function. Lack of Wdr45l greatly impairs autophagy, while Atg18 only causes subtle defects in the maturation of autolysosomes. The strong phenotype of the Wdr45l mutant is strikingly similar to that observed in Dictyostelium cells lacking Vmp1, an ER protein required for omegasome formation. Common phenotypes include impaired growth in axenic medium, lack of aggregation, and local enrichment of PtdIns3P as determined by the use of lipid reporters. In addition, Vmp1 and Wdr45l mutants show a chronically active response to ER stress. For both mutants, this altered PtdIns3P localization can be prevented by the additional mutation of the upstream regulator Atg1, which also leads to recovery of axenic growth and reduction of ER stress. We propose that, in addition to an autophagy defect, local autophagy-associated PtdIns3P accumulation might contribute to the pathogenesis of BPAN by disrupting ER homeostasis. The introduction of BPAN-associated mutations in Dictyostelium Wdr45l reveals the impact of pathogenic residues on the function and localization of the protein.

Morphology of Phagophore Precursors by Correlative Light-Electron Microscopy.

Autophagosome biogenesis occurs in the transient subdomains of the endoplasmic reticulum that are called omegasomes, which, in fluorescence microscopy, appear as small puncta, which then grow in diameter and finally shrink and disappear once the autophagosome is complete. Autophagosomes are formed by phagophores, which are membrane cisterns that elongate and close to form the double membrane that limits autophagosomes. Earlier electron-microscopy studies showed that, during elongation, phagophores are lined by the endoplasmic reticulum on both sides. However, the morphology of the very early phagophore precursors has not been studied at the electron-microscopy level. We used live-cell imaging of cells expressing markers of phagophore biogenesis combined with correlative light-electron microscopy, as well as electron tomography of ATG2A/B-double-deficient cells, to reveal the high-resolution morphology of phagophore precursors in three dimensions. We showed that phagophores are closed or nearly closed into autophagosomes already at the stage when the omegasome diameter is still large. We further observed that phagophore precursors emerge next to the endoplasmic reticulum as bud-like highly curved membrane cisterns with a small opening to the cytosol. The phagophore precursors then open to form more flat cisterns that elongate and curve to form the classically described crescent-shaped phagophores.

TFG: a novel regulator of ULK1-dependent autophagy.

TRK-fused gene (TFG) is a protein implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases and oncogenesis. We have recently shown that, under starvation conditions, TFG contributes to spatial control of autophagy by facilitating Unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1)-microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 gamma (MAP1LC3C) interaction to modulate omegasome and autophagosome formation. Defective TFG-mediated autophagy could thus be postulated as a possible contributor to ontogenesis or progression of TFG-related diseases.

Membrane supply and remodeling during autophagosome biogenesis.

The de novo generation of double-membrane autophagosomes is the hallmark of autophagy. The initial membranous precursor cisterna, the phagophore, is very likely generated by the fusion of vesicles and acts as a membrane seed for the subsequent expansion into an autophagosome. This latter step requires a massive convoy of lipids into the phagophore. In this review, we present recent advances in our understanding of the intracellular membrane sources and lipid delivery mechanisms, which principally rely on vesicular transport and membrane contact sites that contribute to autophagosome biogenesis. In this context, we discuss lipid biosynthesis and lipid remodeling events that play a crucial role in both phagophore nucleation and expansion.

Macroautophagy is repressed during mitosis - seeing is believing.

For the last two decades there has been wide ranging debate about the status of macroautophagy during mitosis. Because metazoan cells undergo an "open" mitosis in which the nuclear envelope breaks down, it has been proposed that macroautophagy must be inhibited to maintain genome integrity. While many studies have agreed that the number of autophagosomes is greatly reduced in cells undergoing mitosis, there has been no consensus on whether this reflects decreased autophagosome synthesis or increased autophagosome degradation. Reviewing the literature we were concerned that many studies relied too heavily on autophagy assays that were simply not appropriate for a relatively brief event such as mitosis. Using highly dynamic omegasome markers we have recently shown unequivocally that autophagosome synthesis is repressed at the onset of mitosis and is restored once cell division is complete. This is accomplished by CDK1, the master regulator of mitosis, taking over the function of MTORC1, to ensure autophagy is repressed during mitosis.

Autophagic paintings: In the frontier of art and science.

As a PhD student I explored macroautophagy/autophagy induced by starvation in Drosophila melanogaster using different microscopy techniques. The beauty and complexity of this process impressed me so deeply that I felt the need to paint it. Thus, I made 2 oil paintings based on my own scientific work, representing the autophagy mechanism at different scales with diverse artistic resources. The first painting, called Autophagy 1, is inspired by fluorescence confocal microscopy images. Therefore, saturated colors predominate in the composition. The second one is an oil on canvas titled Autophagy 2 which reflects autophagy at a smaller scale. This painting depicts this process as revealed by transmission electron microscopy, employing mainly a gray scale of colors. I performed these works with the intention to catch the essence of this biological process, conveying scientific ideas through art. My paintings are not intended only for the scientific community but also for the general public, as an instrument of enjoyment and popularization of science.

Hijacking intracellular membranes to feed autophagosomal growth.

Autophagy is widely considered as a housekeeping mechanism that enables cells to survive stress conditions and, in particular, nutrient deprivation. Autophagy begins with the formation of the phagophore that expands and closes around cytosolic material and damaged organelles destined for degradation. The execution of this complex machinery is guaranteed by the coordinated action of more than 40 ATG (autophagy-related) proteins that control the entire process at different stages from the biogenesis of the autophagosome to cargo sequestration and fusion with lysosomes. Autophagosome biogenesis occurs at multiple intracellular sites, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the plasma membrane. Soon after the formation of the phagophore, the nascent autophagosome progressively grows in size and ultimately closes by recruiting intracellular membranes. In this review, we focus on the contribution of three membrane sources - the ER, the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment, and the Golgi complex - to autophagosome biogenesis and expansion. We also highlight the interplay between the secretory pathway and autophagy in cells when nutrients are scarce.

Improved Electron Microscopy Fixation Methods for Tracking Autophagy-Associated Membranes in Cultured Mammalian Cells.

Autophagy-related organelles, including omegasomes, isolation membranes (or phagophores), autophagosomes, and autolysosomes, are characterized by dynamic changes in lipid membranes including morphology as well as their associated proteins. Therefore, it is critical to define and track membranous elements for identification and detailed morphological analyses of these organelles. However, it is often difficult to clearly observe these organelles with good morphology in conventional electron microscopy (EM), thus hampering 3D analyses and correlative light-electron microscopy (CLEM). Here, we focus on describing fixation procedures using (1) ferrocyanide-reduced osmium for CLEM and (2) aldehyde/OsO4 mixture for detecting omegasome structures and isolation membrane-associated tubules (IMATs). These methods can be easily applied to cultured mammalian cells for conventional and cutting-edge EM analyses, leading to a better understanding of ultrastructural details in autophagosome formation.

Autophagy pathway: Cellular and molecular mechanisms.

Macroautophagy/autophagy is an essential, conserved self-eating process that cells perform to allow degradation of intracellular components, including soluble proteins, aggregated proteins, organelles, macromolecular complexes, and foreign bodies. The process requires formation of a double-membrane structure containing the sequestered cytoplasmic material, the autophagosome, that ultimately fuses with the lysosome. This review will define this process and the cellular pathways required, from the formation of the double membrane to the fusion with lysosomes in molecular terms, and in particular highlight the recent progress in our understanding of this complex process.

PINK1 and BECN1 relocalize at mitochondria-associated membranes during mitophagy and promote ER-mitochondria tethering and autophagosome formation.

Mitophagy is a highly specialized process to remove dysfunctional or superfluous mitochondria through the macroautophagy/autophagy pathway, aimed at protecting cells from the damage of disordered mitochondrial metabolism and apoptosis induction. PINK1, a neuroprotective protein mutated in autosomal recessive Parkinson disease, has been implicated in the activation of mitophagy by selectively accumulating on depolarized mitochondria, and promoting PARK2/Parkin translocation to them. While these steps have been characterized in depth, less is known about the process and site of autophagosome formation upon mitophagic stimuli. A previous study reported that, in starvation-induced autophagy, the proautophagic protein BECN1/Beclin1 (which we previously showed to interact with PINK1) relocalizes at specific regions of contact between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria called mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM), from which the autophagosome originates. Here we show that, following mitophagic stimuli, autophagosomes also form at MAM; moreover, endogenous PINK1 and BECN1 were both found to relocalize at MAM, where they promoted the enhancement of ER-mitochondria contact sites and the formation of omegasomes, that represent autophagosome precursors. PARK2 was also enhanced at MAM following mitophagy induction. However, PINK1 silencing impaired BECN1 enrichment at MAM independently of PARK2, suggesting a novel role for PINK1 in regulating mitophagy. MAM have been recently implicated in many key cellular events. In this light, the observed prevalent localization of PINK1 at MAM may well explain other neuroprotective activities of this protein, such as modulation of mitochondrial calcium levels, mitochondrial dynamics, and apoptosis.

WIPI2B links PtdIns3P to LC3 lipidation through binding ATG16L1.

WIPI proteins, phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns3P) binding proteins with ß-propeller folds, are recruited to the omegasome following PtdIns3P production. The functions of the WIPI proteins in autophagosome formation are poorly understood. In a recent study, we reported that WIPI2B directly binds ATG16L1 and functions by recruiting the ATG12-ATG5-ATG16L1 complex to forming autophagosomes during starvation- or pathogen-induced autophagy. Our model of WIPI2 function provides an explanation for the PtdIns3P-dependent recruitment of the ATG12-ATG5-ATG16L1 complex during initiation of autophagy.

Coronavirus NSP6 restricts autophagosome expansion.

Autophagy is a cellular response to starvation that generates autophagosomes to carry long-lived proteins and cellular organelles to lysosomes for degradation. Activation of autophagy by viruses can provide an innate defense against infection, and for (+) strand RNA viruses autophagosomes can facilitate assembly of replicase proteins. We demonstrated that nonstructural protein (NSP) 6 of the avian coronavirus, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), generates autophagosomes from the ER. A statistical analysis of MAP1LC3B puncta showed that NSP6 induced greater numbers of autophagosomes per cell compared with starvation, but the autophagosomes induced by NSP6 had smaller diameters compared with starvation controls. Small diameter autophagosomes were also induced by infection of cells with IBV, and by NSP6 proteins of MHV and SARS and NSP5, NSP6, and NSP7 of arterivirus PRRSV. Analysis of WIPI2 puncta induced by NSP6 suggests that NSP6 limits autophagosome diameter at the point of omegasome formation. IBV NSP6 also limited autophagosome and omegasome expansion in response to starvation and Torin1 and could therefore limit the size of autophagosomes induced following inhibition of MTOR signaling, as well as those induced independently by the NSP6 protein itself. MAP1LC3B-puncta induced by NSP6 contained SQSTM1, which suggests they can incorporate autophagy cargos. However, NSP6 inhibited the autophagosome/lysosome expansion normally seen following starvation. Taken together the results show that coronavirus NSP6 proteins limit autophagosome expansion, whether they are induced directly by the NSP6 protein, or indirectly by starvation or chemical inhibition of MTOR signaling. This may favor coronavirus infection by compromising the ability of autophagosomes to deliver viral components to lysosomes for degradation.