Autophagy-Related Proteins in Stress Responses
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Autophagy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2026
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Macroautophagy is a highly conserved degradation and recycling process that maintains cellular homeostasis by removing damaged organelles, misfolded proteins, and invading pathogens. This process is tightly regulated by autophagy-related proteins (ATGs), which are activated under a variety of stress conditions, including nutrient and energy deprivation, hypoxia, oxidative stress, and exposure to pathogen- or danger-associated molecular patterns.
Recent studies have revealed that ATGs are not merely downstream effectors of canonical autophagy but also play broader roles in cellular stress management. Beyond their function in bulk degradation, ATGs participate in processes such as endocytosis, exocytosis, and membrane repair, expanding their significance in maintaining cellular integrity under stress.
As cells face environmental, metabolic, or proteotoxic challenges, ATGs emerge as pivotal regulators determining whether a cell adapts or undergoes death.
This Special Issue aims to provide an integrated overview of the roles of ATGs in diverse stress-response contexts. It explores the molecular pathways that regulate ATG functions, either canonical or beyond classical macroautophagy, and examines their physiological and pathophysiological implications. By uncovering how autophagy-related proteins contribute to stress adaptation, this issue seeks to deepen our understanding of their roles in health and disease.
Dr. Aurore Claude-Taupin
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- stress response
- ATG
- endocytosis
- exocytosis
- autophagy
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