Autophagy is a cellular process that is responsible for the recycling of cellular components. This process is essential for maintaining homeostasis and preventing the accumulation of damaged proteins and organelles. While autophagy has been extensively studied in yeast and other lower eukaryotes, relatively little is known about this process in mammals.

To help address this gap in knowledge, a team at the University of California, San Francisco, has recently mapped out the function and regulation of autophagy in mammals. They found that autophagy is a highly regulated process that is tightly coordinated with many other cellular pathways. Importantly, they also found that SARS-CoV-2 infection can disrupt the autophagy process.

The disruption of autophagy by SARS-CoV-2 infection has a number of consequences, including the accumulation of damaged proteins and organelles. This accumulation can lead to cell death and tissue damage, two hallmarks of severe COVID-19 disease. Therefore, these findings may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and suggest potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of this devastating disease.

References:

* Dikic, I., & Elazar, Z. (2018). Mechanism and function of autophagy in mammalian cells. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 19(6), 349-364.

* Zhang, Z., & Qi, G. (2021). Disruption of autophagy by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Autophagy, 17(3), 658-662.