Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Beclin 2 Functions in Autophagy, Degradation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors, and Metabolism.

By August 22, 2013No Comments
 pm1[Epub ahead of print]

Beclin 2 Functions in Autophagy, Degradation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors, and Metabolism.

Source

Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Center for Autophagy Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.

Abstract

The molecular mechanism of autophagy and its relationship to other lysosomal degradation pathways remain incompletely understood. Here, we identified a previously uncharacterized mammalian-specific protein, Beclin 2, which, like Beclin 1, functions in autophagy and interacts with class III PI3K complex components and Bcl-2. However, Beclin 2, but not Beclin 1, functions in an additional lysosomal degradation pathway. Beclin 2 is required for ligand-induced endolysosomal degradation of several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) through its interaction with GASP1. Beclin 2 homozygous knockout mice have decreased embryonic viability, and heterozygous knockout mice have defective autophagy, increased levels of brain cannabinoid 1 receptor, elevated food intake, and obesity and insulin resistance. Our findings identify Beclin 2 as a converging regulator of autophagy and GPCR turnover and highlight the functional and mechanistic diversity of Beclin family members in autophagy, endolysosomal trafficking, and metabolism.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PMID:

 23954414
[PubMed – as supplied by publisher]potp font 1