FAM134B regulates ER-to-lysosome-associated degradation of misfolded proteins upon pharmacologic or genetic inactivation of ER-associated degradation

Abstract

About 40% of the eukaryotic cell’s proteome is synthesized and assembled in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Native proteins are transported to their intra- or extra-cellular site of activity. Folding-defective polypeptides are dislocated across the ER membrane into the cytoplasm, poly-ubiquitylated and degraded by 26S proteasomes (ER-associated degradation, ERAD). Large misfolded proteins like mutant forms of collagen or aggregation-prone mutant forms of alpha1 antitrypsin cannot be dislocated across the ER membrane for ERAD. Rather, they are segregated in ER subdomains that vesiculate and deliver their cargo to endolysosomal compartments for clearance by ER-to-lysosome-associated degradation (ERLAD). Here, we show the lysosomal delivery of a canonical ERAD substrate upon pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of the ERAD pathways. This highlights the surrogate intervention of ERLAD to remove defective gene products upon dysfunctional ERAD.