Nutrient‐dependent signaling pathways that control autophagy in yeast

Abstract

Macroautophagy/autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic process vital for cellular stress responses and maintaining equilibrium within the cell. Malfunctioning autophagy has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including certain neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, metabolic diseases, and cancer. Cells face diverse metabolic challenges, such as limitations in nitrogen, carbon, and minerals such as phosphate and iron, necessitating the integration of complex metabolic information. Cells utilize a signal transduction network of sensors, transducers, and effectors to coordinate the execution of the autophagic response, concomitant with the severity of the nutrient‐starvation condition. This review presents the current mechanistic understanding of how cells regulate the initiation of autophagy through various nutrient‐dependent signaling pathways. Emphasizing findings from studies in yeast, we explore the emerging principles that underlie the nutrient‐dependent regulation of autophagy, significantly shaping stress‐induced autophagy responses under various metabolic stress conditions.

Autophagy—from yeast to humans: Thirty years of molecular autophagy

“…On this basis, the intracellular targets were identified, TOR and AMPK, which respond to the large number of different signaling pathways and control the initiation of autophagy [12]. These principal signaling pathways are conserved, and the review by Patrice Codogno and colleagues [13] provides a historical overview of autophagy control in mammalian systems, and Metur and Klionsky [14] address nutrient‐controlled signaling pathways in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae .…”

Loss of AMPK activity induces organelle dysfunction and oxidative stress during oocyte aging

“…Additionally, AMP binding promotes the phosphorylation of a specific threonine residue on the α subunit by upstream kinases such as LKB1 or CaMKKβ [ 9 ]. Activated AMPK phosphorylates numerous downstream targets, coordinating a wide range of metabolic responses to restore energy balance, including the inhibition of anabolic processes such as protein and lipid synthesis, and activation of catabolic pathways such as glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation, and autophagy [ 19 ]. AMPK also plays a role in regulating cellular processes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial biogenesis, and cell growth and survival.…”