Project 2: Examining the Impact of autophagy as an alternative source of energy in retinal neurons
Autophagy, the process of recycling intracellular substrate to fuel mitochondria, mitigates nutrient scarcity. Nutrient sensors that govern autophagy have been identified for glucose and amino acids, but not for lipids. Our pilot work identifies a lipid sensing GPCR, Ffar1, able to restrain autophagy and oxidative metabolism. Improving autophagy might fuel energy-deprived neurons and restore their function.