A Role for Macro-ER-Phagy in ER Quality Control

Abstract

The endoplasmic-reticulum quality-control (ERQC) system shuttles misfolded proteins for degradation by the proteasome through the well-defined ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. In contrast, very little is known about the role of autophagy in ERQC. Macro-autophagy, a collection of pathways that deliver proteins through autophagosomes (APs) for degradation in the lysosome (vacuole in yeast), is mediated by autophagy-specific proteins, Atgs, and regulated by Ypt/Rab GTPases. Until recently, the term ER-phagy was used to describe degradation of ER membrane and proteins in the lysosome under stress: either ER stress induced by drugs or whole-cell stress induced by starvation. These two types of stresses induce micro-ER-phagy, which does not use autophagic organelles and machinery, and non-selective autophagy. Here, we characterize the macro-ER-phagy pathway and uncover its role in ERQC. This pathway delivers 20–50% of certain ER-resident membrane proteins to the vacuole and is further induced to >90% by overexpression of a single integral-membrane protein. Even though such overexpression in cells defective in macro-ER-phagy induces the unfolded-protein response (UPR), UPR is not needed for macro-ER-phagy. We show that macro-ER-phagy is dependent on Atgs and Ypt GTPases and its cargo passes through APs. Moreover, for the first time the role of Atg9, the only integral-membrane core Atg, is uncoupled from that of other core Atgs. Finally, three sequential steps of this pathway are delineated: Atg9-dependent exit from the ER en route to autophagy, Ypt1- and core Atgs-mediated pre-autophagsomal-structure organization, and Ypt51-mediated delivery of APs to the vacuole.

Author Summary

ER-quality control (ERQC) ensures delivery of “native” proteins through the secretory pathway. Currently, ER-associated degradation (ERAD), which delivers misfolded proteins for degradation by the proteasome, is considered a major ERQC pathway, with autophagy as its backup. Until now, the role of autophagy, which shuttles cellular components for degradation in the lysosome through autophagosomes (APs), in ERQC was ill defined. Recently, the process of ER degradation induced by ER stress was defined as micro-ER-phagy, which does not require autophagic machinery and does not pass through APs. Here, we characterize the macro-ER-phagy pathway, which delivers excess membrane proteins for degradation in the lysosome, as a novel ERQC pathway. This pathway functions in the absence of cellular or ER stress and can be further induced by overexpression of a single integral-membrane protein. Unlike the micro-ER-phagy pathway, the marco-ER-phagy pathway requires core autophagy-specific proteins, Atgs, and Ypt/Rab GTPases. In addition, for the first time, the function of the only membrane core Atg, Atg9, was uncoupled from that of the other core Atgs. Whereas Atg9 plays a role in the assembly of ER-to-autophagy membranes (ERAM), other core Atgs and Ypt1 assemble the Atg-protein complex on ERAM to form the pre-autophagosomal structure.