What is the role of Beclin-1 in autophagy?
Early autophagosome nucleation requires precise lipid signaling producing phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate at cup formation site marking assembly. Central regulator Beclin-1 mammalian Atg6 Vps30 component class III PI3K complex essential initiation. Beclin-1 contains BH3 amphipathic helix binding Bcl-2 sequestering nutrient-rich inhibiting autophagy, coiled-coil dimerization domain, conserved domain ECA interacting Vps34 lipid kinase. Upon starvation AMPK or ULK1 phosphorylation releases Beclin-1 from Bcl-2 assembling complex I comprising Vps34 catalytic lipid kinase, Vps15 pseudokinase regula
Ref: Galluzzi et al., EMBO J 2017: Beclin-1 PI3K Complex in autophagosome nucleation.
