Axonal transport of autophagosomes is regulated by dynein activators JIP3/JIP4 and ARF/RAB GTPases

Neuronal autophagosomes, “self-eating” degradative organelles, form at presynaptic sites in the distal axon and are transported to the soma to recycle their cargo. During transit, autophagic vacuoles (AVs) mature through fusion with lysosomes to acquire the enzymes necessary to breakdown their cargo. AV transport is driven primarily by the microtubule motor cytoplasmic dynein in concert with dynactin and a series of activating adaptors that change depending on organelle maturation state. The transport of mature AVs is regulated by the scaffolding proteins JIP3 and JIP4, both of which activate dynein motility in vitro. AV transport is also regulated by ARF6 in a GTP-dependent fashion. While GTP-bound ARF6 promotes the formation of the JIP3/4-dynein-dynactin complex, RAB10 competes with the activity of this complex by increasing kinesin recruitment to axonal AVs and lysosomes. These interactions highlight the complex coordination of motors regulating organelle transport in neurons.