Regulation of VPS34 Kinase in Response to Starvation

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The ability of cells to respond to changes in nutrient availability is essential for the maintenance of promoting survival and balancing energy expenditure with intake. One of the most important ways for cells to generate energy under starvation is to activate a process called autophagy (literally meaning “self-eating”). In this process the cell degrades a small portion of its interior to generate nutrients required for survival. One of the most important enzymes in this process is the lipid kinase VPS34, which phosphorylates lipids required for the formation of the destructive autophagic vesicle. We have recently discovered that the phosphorylation of lipids by VPS34 on another vesicle called the endosome is also required for survival under starvation. This is quite interesting as the endosome has no direct way of generating energy or known way of reducing energy expenditure.