ATG2 transports lipids to promote autophagosome biogenesis

During macroautophagic stress, autophagosomes can be produced continuously and in high numbers. Many different organelles have been reported as potential donor membranes for this sustained autophagosome growth, but specific machinery to support the delivery of lipid to the growing autophagosome membrane has remained unknown. Here we show that the autophagy protein, ATG2, without a clear function since its discovery over 20 yr ago, is in fact a lipid-transfer protein likely operating at the ER–autophagosome interface. ATG2A can bind tens of glycerophospholipids at once and transfers lipids robustly in vitro. An N-terminal fragment of ATG2A that supports lipid transfer in vitro is both necessary and fully…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• CS
  China Scholarship Council
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: NS063973, T32 GM007223, GM114068, GM1000930, GM080616