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  • The deubiquitinating enzyme USP36 controls selective autophagy activation by ubiquitinated proteins.

The deubiquitinating enzyme USP36 controls selective autophagy activation by ubiquitinated proteins.

Autophagy (2012-05-25)
Emmanuel Taillebourg, Isabel Gregoire, Perrine Viargues, Anne-Claire Jacomin, Dominique Thevenon, Mathias Faure, Marie-Odile Fauvarque
ABSTRACT

Initially described as a nonspecific degradation process induced upon starvation, autophagy is now known also to be involved in the degradation of specific ubiquitinated substrates such as mitochondria, bacteria and aggregated proteins, ensuring crucial functions in cell physiology and immunity. We report here that the deubiquitinating enzyme USP36 controls selective autophagy activation in Drosophila and in human cells. We show that dUsp36 loss of function autonomously inhibits cell growth while activating autophagy. Despite the phenotypic similarity, dUSP36 is not part of the TOR signaling pathway. Autophagy induced by dUsp36 loss of function depends on p62/SQSTM1, an adaptor for delivering cargo marked by polyubiquitin to autophagosomes. Consistent with p62 requirement, dUsp36 mutant cells display nuclear aggregates of ubiquitinated proteins, including Histone H2B, and cytoplasmic ubiquitinated proteins; the latter are eliminated by autophagy. Importantly, USP36 function in p62-dependent selective autophagy is conserved in human cells. Our work identifies a novel, crucial role for a deubiquitinating enzyme in selective autophagy.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Actin antibody produced in rabbit, affinity isolated antibody, buffered aqueous solution
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-ATG5 (N-terminal) antibody produced in rabbit, affinity isolated antibody, PBS solution
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-LC3B antibody produced in rabbit, ~1 mg/mL, affinity isolated antibody, buffered aqueous solution