Wipi3 is essential for alternative autophagy and its loss causes neurodegeneration

Abstract

Unlike canonical macroautophagy, alternative autophagy does not require the factors Atg5 and Atg7. Here, the authors show that Wipi3 is essential for alternative autophagy, but not for canonical autophagy, and that Wipi3 functions to maintain neuronal cells via mechanisms different from those of canonical autophagy.