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Histone post-translational modifications regulate autophagy flux and outcome
Jens Füllgrabe1, Daniel J Klionsky2, Bertrand Joseph1
1Department of Oncology Pathology; Cancer Centrum Karolinska; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm, Sweden.
Autophagy
|August 13, 2013
Summary
Autophagy, a cellular degradation process, can lead to either cell survival or death. Nuclear gene regulation, particularly histone modifications, critically influences this outcome by controlling autophagy-related genes.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Autophagy is a fundamental eukaryotic process for degrading cellular components via lysosomes.
- While often protective, autophagy can also induce cell death, necessitating an understanding of this dual role.
- Nuclear transcriptional programs are increasingly recognized as regulators of autophagy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the role of nuclear events in regulating autophagy.
- To investigate the connection between histone modifications and the transcriptional control of autophagy.
- To understand how these mechanisms determine cell fate (survival vs. death) during autophagy.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of transcriptional regulation in autophagy.
- Investigation of histone posttranslational modifications.
- Study of feedback loops in autophagy-related gene expression.
Main Results:
- Nuclear transcriptional programs are key regulators of autophagy.
- Specific histone modifications are linked to the transcriptional regulation of autophagy genes.
- A regulatory feedback loop involving histone modifications and autophagy genes determines cell survival or death.
Conclusions:
- The decision between cell survival and death during autophagy is significantly influenced by nuclear transcriptional events.
- Histone modifications play a critical role in regulating autophagy-related genes and influencing cell fate.
- Understanding these nuclear-mediated regulatory mechanisms is crucial for comprehending autophagy's role in health and disease.
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These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein.
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