In the presence of nutrients, MXL-3 represses the expression of the lysosomal lipase genes, which contribute to breaking down fats through lipophagy. Upon fasting, MXL-3 is transcriptionally repressed and delocalizes from the nuclei, releasing the repression of the lysosomal lipases. Concomitantly, HLH-30 translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and hlh-30 expression is induced, in part by an autoregulatory mechanism. In the nucleus, HLH-30 enables the activation of lipophagy through the induction of lysosomal lipase and autophagy genes. The activation of this transcriptional program enables utilization of internal reserves of energy, and promotes survival of starvation. 