Oliver's mTOR Atlas Evidence Platform
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Nutrient-dependent mTORC1 association with the ULK1-Atg13-FIP200 complex required for autophagy

Hosokawa N, Hara T, Kaizuka T, Kishi C, Takamura A, Miura Y, Mizushima N · 2009 · Molecular Biology of the Cell · Atlas ID HOS2009

What this study shows

Showed the DIRECT brake mTORC1 uses on autophagy: when nutrients are plentiful, mTORC1 physically joins the ULK1-Atg13-FIP200 complex (the autophagy-starter kinase) and phosphorylates ULK1 to keep it off. Starvation or rapamycin releases this brake and autophagy begins.

Abstract

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Autophagy is an intracellular degradation system, by which cytoplasmic contents are degraded in lysosomes. Autophagy is dynamically induced by nutrient depletion to provide necessary amino acids within cells, thus helping them adapt to starvation. Although it has been suggested that mTOR is a major negative regulator of autophagy, how it controls autophagy has not yet been determined. Here, we report a novel mammalian autophagy factor, Atg13, which forms a stable approximately 3-MDa protein complex with ULK1 and FIP200.

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At a glance

Evidence type M Molecular — cells, biochemistry, structure Marked M because it is molecular or in-vitro work (model: Mammalian cells) rather than a whole-organism health-outcome study. That is often exactly where causal biology gets established -- the code says which system the finding was shown in, and nothing about how good the work is.
Study type5 - Mechanistic / In Vitro
Model systemMammalian cells
JournalMolecular Biology of the Cell
Year2009
Peer reviewedYes
Record last updated2026-08-22
SourceDOI 10.1091/mbc.e08-12-1248 · PMID 19211835 · Free full text (PMC2663915)

Extracted findings

InterventionGenetic/biochemical (mTORC1/ULK1-Atg13-FIP200)
TargetmTORC1 / ULK1-Atg13-FIP200
ModelMammalian cells
EffectNutrient-dependent mTORC1 association with the ULK1-Atg13-FIP200 complex controls autophagy induction

In the Atlas

Related topics

ULK1mTORC1Autophagy

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Cite this paper

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Hosokawa, N., Hara, T., Kaizuka, T., Kishi, C., Takamura, A., Miura, Y., & Mizushima, N. (2009). Nutrient-dependent mTORC1 association with the ULK1-Atg13-FIP200 complex required for autophagy. Molecular Biology of the Cell. https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.e08-12-1248

@article{HOS2009,
  author       = {Hosokawa, N. and Hara, T. and Kaizuka, T. and Kishi, C. and Takamura, A. and Miura, Y. and Mizushima, N.},
  title        = {{Nutrient-dependent mTORC1 association with the ULK1-Atg13-FIP200 complex required for autophagy}},
  journal      = {Molecular Biology of the Cell},
  year         = {2009},
  doi          = {10.1091/mbc.e08-12-1248},
  note         = {PMID: 19211835},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper. 

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record HOS2009) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HOS2009/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_HOS2009,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record HOS2009},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HOS2009/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}