Dynamic protein-protein interactions of the potato autophagy-related StATG8 family proteins, which are also associated with WRKY transcription factor and pathogen effector in the nucleus

Abstract

Abstract Background Autophagy is a cellular recycling process responsible for eliminating damaged proteins and organelles. Autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) are primarily located in the cytoplasm, playing essential roles in various stages of autophagosome formation. Among these proteins, the ATG8/Atg8/LC3/GABARAP family proteins are evolutionarily conserved and crucial for autophagy. While ATG8 is predominantly found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of cells, its function within the nucleus remains largely unknown. Results This study reveals that the potato StATG8 family forms homo-/hetero-dimers and selectively interacts with the transcriptional regulator WRKY, exclusive to the nucleus, and the pathogenic protein PopP2. Conclusions These findings represent a fundamental step toward unraveling the role of ATG8 within the nucleus.