A PI3K-WIPI2 positive feedback loop allosterically activates LC3 lipidation in autophagy

Abstract

Autophagy degrades cytoplasmic cargo by its delivery to lysosomes within double membrane autophagosomes. Synthesis of the phosphoinositide PI(3)P by the autophagic PI 3-kinase complex I (PI3KC3-C1) and conjugation of ATG8/LC3 proteins to phagophore membranes by the ATG12–ATG5-ATG16L1 (E3) complex are two critical steps in autophagosome biogenesis, connected by WIPI2. Here we present a complete reconstitution of these events. On giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), LC3 lipidation is strictly dependent on the recruitment of WIPI2, which in turn depends on PI(3)P. Ectopically targeting E3 to membranes in the absence of WIPI2 is insufficient to support LC3 lipidation, demonstrating that WIPI2 allosterically activates the E3 complex. PI3KC3-C1 and WIPI2 mutually promote the recruitment of each other in a positive feedback loop. When both PI 3-kinase and LC3 lipidation reactions were carried out simultaneously, positive feedback between PI3KC3-C1 and WIPI2 led to rapid LC3 lipidation with kinetics similar to those seen in cellular autophagosome formation.