The Autophagy Induction (ULK1 Complex) Antibody Sampler Kit provides an economical means of detecting target proteins in the ULK1 complex. The kit contains enough antibody to perform at least two western blot experiments per primary antibody.

Autophagy is a catabolic process for the autophagosomic-lysosomal degradation of bulk cytoplasmic contents (1,2). Autophagy is generally activated by conditions of nutrient deprivation but has also been associated with a number of physiological processes including development, differentiation, neurodegeneration, infection, and cancer (3). The molecular machinery of autophagy was largely discovered in yeast and referred to as autophagy-related (Atg) genes. ULK1, Atg13, and FIP200 form a complex that localizes to autophagic isolation membranes and regulates autophagosome biogenesis (4-6). mTOR phosphorylates both Atg13 and ULK1, suppressing ULK1 kinase activity and autophagy (5-7). Interaction between Atg101 and Atg13 can be important for the stability and basal phosphorylation of Atg13 and ULK1 (8,9). AMPK, activated during low nutrient conditions, directly phosphorylates ULK1 at multiple sites including Ser317, Ser555, and Ser777 (7,10). Conversely, mTOR, which is a regulator of cell growth and is an inhibitor of autophagy, phosphorylates ULK1 at Ser757 and disrupts the interaction between ULK1 and AMPK (7).