Macroautophagy/autophagy is a catabolic process that allows cells to adapt to environmental changes and maintain energy homeostasis. This multistep process is regulated at several levels, including transcriptionally regulating autophagy-related (ATG) gene expression through the action of transcription regulators. Very recently, Wen et al. and we have provided more evidence that two well-known transcription factors regulate different ATG genes to control either nonselective or selective forms of autophagy, respectively. Under nitrogen-starvation conditions, the Spt4-Spt5 complex derepresses ATG8 and ATG41 expression and upregulates bulk autophagy activity. By contrast, under glucose-starvation conditions, the Paf1 complex (the polymerase-associated factor 1 complex, Paf1C) specifically modulates expression of ATG11 and ATG32 to regulate mitophagy. These studies suggest the potential existence of other transcription regulators yet to be discovered that function in the regulation of diverse autophagy pathways.Abbreviations: AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; ATG: autophagy-related; NELF: negative elongation factor; Paf1C/PAF1C: polymerase-associated factor 1 complex; RNAP II: RNA polymerase II; Rpd3L: Rpd3 large complex.

中文翻译：

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老因素，新参与者：自噬的转录调控。

巨自噬/自噬是一种分解代谢过程，使细胞能够适应环境变化并维持能量稳态。这个多步骤过程在多个层面上受到调节，包括通过转录调节因子的作用来转录调节自噬相关（ATG）基因的表达。最近，Wen 等人。我们提供了更多证据表明两个众所周知的转录因子调节不同的 ATG 基因，分别控制非选择性或选择性形式的自噬。在氮饥饿条件下，Spt4-Spt5 复合物会抑制 ATG8 和 ATG41 的表达并上调大量自噬活性。相比之下，在葡萄糖饥饿条件下，Paf1 复合物（聚合酶相关因子 1 复合物，Paf1C）特异性调节 ATG11 和 ATG32 的表达以调节线粒体自噬。这些研究表明可能存在其他尚未发现的转录调节因子，它们在多种自噬途径的调节中发挥作用。缩写：AMPK：AMP 激活蛋白激酶；AMPK：AMP 激活蛋白激酶；ATG：自噬相关；NELF：负伸长因子；Paf1C/PAF1C：聚合酶相关因子1复合物；RNAP II：RNA聚合酶II；Rpd3L：Rpd3大型复合物。