No ATG8s, no problem? How LC3/GAB ARAP proteins contribute to autophagy

Abstract

The ATG8 family LC3/GAB ARAP proteins are attached to the membrane of nascent autophagosomes, but their functions during autophagy are unclear. In this issue, Nguyen et al. (2016. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org /10.1083 /jcb.201607039) show that LC3/GAB ARAP proteins are not essential for autophagosome formation but are critical for autophagosome-lysosome fusion.