ATG8 protein clustering: a HOTS topic in autophagy

Lipidation of the ubiquitin-like ATG8 proteins is a hallmark of autophagosome biogenesis and has been extensively studied for a quarter century. But there is still more to be learned about what ATG8 proteins really do once they are covalently attached to membranes. Here, combining molecular dynamics simulation, crystallography, super-resolution imaging, and cell biology, Fatihi et al (2026) demonstrate that the ATG8 protein LC3B forms functional two-dimensional nanoclusters on membranes that support autophagy. A study in this issue of EMBO reports shows the ATG8 protein LC3B forms functional nanoclusters on autophagosomal membranes that support autophagy.