Overview

• Aarhus University researchers pinpointed the GTPase Ypt1/RAB1 as the molecular switch that initiates phagophore expansion during autophagy.
• Ypt1/RAB1 establishes a contact site with the endoplasmic reticulum to coordinate lipid transfer and membrane elongation of the phagophore.
• The study appears in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, confirming a long-sought regulatory step in the cellular waste-clearance pathway.
• Modulating this mechanism could inform new treatments for diseases linked to autophagy dysfunction, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and infections.
• Translating these mechanistic insights into therapies will require further investigation into safety and efficacy in disease models.