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Intermittent fasting, alternate-day fasting, and other forms of periodic caloric restriction are beneficial to maintain a healthy body weight and have gained popularity during the last few years. To respond to fasting, cells use autophagy, a cellular self-recycling process.
A team of researchers led by Professor Ioannis Nezis from the School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, discovered how cells activate autophagy genes during fasting. In the paper titled ‘Regulation of expression of autophagy genes by Atg8a-interacting partners Sequoia, YL-1 and Sir2 in Drosophila’, published in the journal Cell Reports on the 26th May, Dr Anne-Claire Jacomin, Dr Stavroula Petridi, PhD student Marisa Di Monaco and Professor Ioannis Nezis have discovered proteins which are required for the transcription of autophagy genes.
The proteins are called Sequoia, YL-1 and Sir2, these proteins interact with the cytoplasmic autophagy-related protein Atg8a. These interactions recruit Atg8a in the nucleus to control the transcription of autophagy genes. This is the first study that uncovers a nuclear role of the cytoplasmic protein Atg8a.
Lead author of the research Professor Ioannis Nezis, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, comments:
“Understanding the molecular mechanisms of activation of autophagy genes during fasting will help us to use interventions to activate the autophagic pathways to maintain a normal body weight and promote healthy well-being.”