The mevalonate pathway as a metabolic requirement for autophagy-implications for growth control, proteostasis, and disease.

Autophagy is responsible for the degradation and recycling of cellular proteins and organelles. Our recent work shows that the mevalonate pathway influences cell size, growth, and proteostasis by regulating basal autophagic flux through geranylgeranylation of the small GTPase RAB11. The control of autophagy by the mevalonate/cholesterol pathway has potential implications for statin toxicity, inflammation, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.