Did evolution choose Atg11 as the scaffolding platform beyond selective autophagy?

It has been well established that Atg11 plays a critical role in selective macroautophagy/autophagy, but not in nonselective autophagy in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, its mammalian ortholog RB1CC1/FIP200 is indispensable for both types of autophagy, and the molecular mechanism behind its function is a mystery. Recently, Pan et al. showed that in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Atg11 could also promote nonselective autophagy via activation of Atg1 kinase. These results prompt an interesting idea that Atg11 might have gained an additional ability to mediate nonselective autophagy through evolution.

Automated summary

Research has found that Atg11 plays different roles in selective macroautophagy/autophagy between yeast and mammals, suggesting that it may have gained additional functions in evolution.