Autophagy involves the enclosure of cytoplasmic material in the autophagosome and its subsequent delivery to the lysosome for degradation. Studies of autophagy in yeast have laid the groundwork for a molecular understanding of the autophagy pathway, but have failed to consider unique mechanisms that are specific for the regulation and function of autophagy in animals. The Zhang laboratory identified a set of metazoan specific autophagy genes, known as epg genes, using C. elegans as a genetic model. Research in the Zhang lab focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of these new genes in autophagy and how autophagy dysfunction leads to the development of neurodegeneration.
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