Journal
ONCOGENE
Volume 29, Issue 12, Pages 1717-1719Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/onc.2009.519
Keywords
Beclin 1; autophagy; apoptosis
Funding
- EU
- Ligue contre le Cancer
- Agence Nationale pour la Recherche
- Institut National sur le Cancer
- Canceropole Ile-de-France
- Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale
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Beclin 1 has a key role in the initiation of autophagy, a process of self-cannibalism in which cytoplasmic constituents are sequestered and targeted for lysosomal degradation. In a recent issue of Cell Death & Disease, Wirawan et al. report the significant finding that caspases can cleave Beclin 1, thereby destroying its pro-autophagic activity. Moreover, the C-terminal fragment of Beclin 1 that results from this cleavage acquires a new function and can amplify mitochondrion-mediated apoptosis. Of note, the BH3 domain of Beclin 1 remains within the N-terminal fragment, which has no detectable pro-apoptotic activity. These findings provide important insights into the molecular cross talk between autophagy and apoptosis. Oncogene (2010) 29, 1717-1719; doi:10.1038/onc.2009.519; published online 25 January 2010
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