Survey of the human proteostasis network: the autophagy-lysosome pathway

Abstract

The condition of having a healthy, functional proteome is known as protein homeostasis, or proteostasis. Establishing and maintaining proteostasis is the province of the proteostasis network, a highly interconnected system of over 3000 components that regulate protein synthesis, folding, localization, and degradation. The proteostasis network is a fundamental functional unit in biology that is essential for cellular health and has direct relevance to many diseases of protein conformation. However, it is not well defined or annotated, hindering its functional characterization in health and disease. In this series of manuscripts, we aim to operationally define the human proteostasis network by providing a comprehensive, annotated list of its components. In the other manuscripts in this series, we survey the components of the proteostasis network that make up (1) the machineries for protein synthesis, protein folding, protein trafficking into and out of organelles, and organelle-specific degradation pathways and (2) the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Here, we have compiled a curated list of over 850 unique high-confidence components of the autophagy-lysosome pathway, the other major protein degradation system in human cells. This resource will facilitate the rigorous investigation of autophagy-lysosome pathway dysfunction as a driver of proteostasis imbalance in aging and disease.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Autophagy, 2026 · DOI ↗