Fine-tuning of ULK1 mRNA and protein levels is required for autophagy oscillation

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation pathway whose levels are tightly controlled to secure cell homeostasis. Unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) is a conserved serine-threonine kinase that plays a central role in the initiation of autophagy. Here, we report that upon autophagy progression, ULK1 protein levels are specifically down-regulated by the E3 ligase NEDD4L, which ubiquitylates ULK1 for degradation by the proteasome. However, whereas ULK1...