Lu, Y., Zhang, Z., Sun, D., Sweeney, S.T., Gao, F.B. (2013). Syntaxin 13, a Genetic Modifier of Mutant CHMP2B in Frontotemporal Dementia, Is Required for Autophagosome Maturation. Mol. Cell 52(2): 264--271.
FlyBase ID
FBrf0223256
Publication Type
Research paper
Abstract
Phagophore maturation is a key step in the macroautophagy pathway, which is critical in many important physiological and pathological processes. Here we identified Drosophila N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein 2 (dNSF2) and soluble NSF attachment protein (Snap) as strong genetic modifiers of mutant CHMP2B, an ESCRT-III component that causes frontotemporal dementia and autophagosome accumulation. Among several SNAP receptor (SNARE) genes, Drosophila syntaxin 13 (syx13) exhibited a strong genetic interaction with mutant CHMP2B. Knockdown of syntaxin 13 (STX13) or its binding partner Vti1a in mammalian cells caused LC3-positive puncta to accumulate and blocks autophagic flux. STX13 was present on LC3-positive phagophores induced by rapamycin and was highly enriched on multilamellar structures induced by dysfunctional ESCRT-III. Loss of STX13 also caused the accumulation of Atg5-positive puncta and the formation of multilamellar structures. These results suggest that STX13 is a genetic modifier of ESCRT-III dysfunction and participates in the maturation of phagophores into closed autophagosomes.
