BIOSS
Centre for Biological Signalling Studies

mTOR inhibits autophagy by controlling ULK1 ubiquitylation, self-association and function through AMBRA1 and TRAF6

24.03.2013

Nazio F, Strappazzon F, Antonioli M, Bielli P, Cianfanelli V, Bordi M, Gretzmeier C, Dengjel J, Piacentini M, Fimia GM, Cecconi F.

Nat Cell Biol. 2013 Apr;15(4):406-16

Nat Cell Biol.                online article

Only few direct targets of mTOR are known and the cross-talk between ULK1 and beclin 1 complexes is still not fully understood. We show that under non-autophagic conditions, mTOR inhibits AMBRA1 by phosphorylation,
whereas on autophagy induction, AMBRA1 is dephosphorylated. In this condition, AMBRA1, interacting with the E3-ligase TRAF6, supports ULK1 ubiquitylation by LYS-63-linked chains, and its subsequent stabilization, self-association and function.