Ulk1-mediated phosphorylation of AMPK constitutes a negative regulatory feedback loop

Löffler AS, Alers S, Dieterle AM, Keppeler H, Franz-Wachtel M, Kundu M, Campbell DG, Wesselborg S, Alessi DR, Stork B · 2011 · Autophagy · Atlas ID LOF2011

What this study shows

ULK1 phosphorylates and inhibits AMPK in return, showing autophagy signaling is a bidirectional feedback loop, not a one-way switch.

Abstract

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Unc-51-like kinase 1 (Ulk1) plays a central role in autophagy induction. It forms a stable complex with Atg13 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) family interacting protein of 200 kDa (FIP 200). This complex is negatively regulated by the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) in a nutrient-dependent way. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is activated by LKB1/Strad/Mo25 upon high AMP levels, stimulates autophagy by inhibiting mTORC1. Recently, it has been described that AMPK and Ulk1 interact and that the latter is phosphorylated by AMPK.

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type	M Molecular — cells, biochemistry, structure Marked M because it is molecular or in-vitro work (model: Human cells; mouse) 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 type	5 - Mechanistic / In Vitro
Model system	Human cells; mouse
Journal	Autophagy
Year	2011
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-10-01
Source	DOI 10.4161/auto.7.7.15451 · PMID 21460634

Extracted findings

These fields were extracted from the paper with AI assistance and have not been checked against the source. Read them as a pointer into the paper, not as curated claims; where they disagree with the curated summary above, the curated summary stands.

Intervention	Biochemical (ULK1–AMPK)
Target	ULK1 / AMPK / mTORC1
Model	Human cells; mouse
Effect	ULK1 phosphorylates and inhibits AMPK – a negative feedback loop in autophagy signaling

In the Atlas

Links in the pathway map

Supports ULK1 inhibits AMPK

Cite this paper

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Löffler, A. S., Alers, S., Dieterle, A. M., Keppeler, H., Franz-Wachtel, M., Kundu, M., Campbell, D. G., Wesselborg, S., Alessi, D. R., & Stork, B. (2011). Ulk1-mediated phosphorylation of AMPK constitutes a negative regulatory feedback loop. Autophagy. https://doi.org/10.4161/auto.7.7.15451

@article{LOF2011,
  author       = {Löffler, A. S. and Alers, S. and Dieterle, A. M. and Keppeler, H. and Franz-Wachtel, M. and Kundu, M. and Campbell, D. G. and Wesselborg, S. and Alessi, D. R. and Stork, B.},
  title        = {{Ulk1-mediated phosphorylation of AMPK constitutes a negative regulatory feedback loop}},
  journal      = {Autophagy},
  year         = {2011},
  doi          = {10.4161/auto.7.7.15451},
  note         = {PMID: 21460634},
}

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 LOF2011) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/LOF2011/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_LOF2011,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record LOF2011},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/LOF2011/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}

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