(b) Decreasing autophagy levels by deletion of the Atg5 gene (left) or depletion of ATG7 by siRNA (right) significantly increases the percentage of MBd+ cells (P=0.0019 and P=0.021, respectively, n=3). Immunoblots confirm loss of the Atg5-Atg12 conjugation in mutant cells and depletion of ATG7 (asterisk). GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. 