Selective autophagy of bacterial pathogens represents a host innate immune mechanism. Selective autophagy has been characterized on the basis of distinct cargo receptors but the mechanisms by which different cargo receptors are targeted for autophagic degradation remain unclear. In this study we identified a highly conserved Tectonin domain-containing protein, Tecpr1, as an Atg5 binding partner that colocalized with Atg5 at Shigella-containing phagophores. Tecpr1 activity is necessary for efficient autophagic targeting of bacteria, but has no effect on rapamycin- or starvation-induced canonical autophagy. Tecpr1 interacts with WIPI-2, a yeast Atg18 homolog and PI(3)P-interacting protein required for phagophore formation, and they colocalize to phagophores. Although Tecpr1-deficient mice appear normal, Tecpr1-deficient MEFs were defective for selective autophagy and supported increased intracellular multiplication of Shigella. Further, depolarized mitochondria and misfolded protein aggregates accumulated in the Tecpr1-knockout MEFs. Thus, we identify a Tecpr1-dependent pathway as important in targeting bacterial pathogens for selective autophagy.

Microstructures in nature are ultrafine and ordered in biological roles, which have attracted material scientists. Spirulina forms three-dimensional helical microstructure, one of remarkable features in nature beyond our current processing technology such as lithography in terms of mass-productivity and structural multiplicity. Spirulina varies its diameter, helical pitch, and/or length against growing environment. This unique helix is suggestive of a tiny electromagnetic coil, if composed of electro-conductive metal, which brought us main concept of this work. Here, we describe the biotemplating process onto Spirulina surface to fabricate metal microcoils. Structural parameters of the microcoil can be controlled by the cultivation conditions of Spirulina template and also purely one-handed microcoil can be fabricated. A microcoil dispersion sheet exhibited optically active response attributed to structural resonance in terahertz-wave region.

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Should explanation be needed, the materials fabrica tion process known as biotemplating is a means of fashioning a functional material from a template of one of those baffling, ordered geometrical structures found in nature. It is quite amazing that three-dimensional micro structures of the kind seen in the blue morpho butterfly's wings or leaves of the lotus should be formed. How they form and how they can be modelled with synthetic materials are questions addressed by biomimetics [1]; biotemplating, on the other hand, aims to harness the structures themselves. The great intricacy of the diverse structures found in nature may be profoundly interesting but is also why, even with advanced materials fabrication processes, the structures elude fabrication. Given this situation, would it not be possible to design hitherto nonexistent materials by developing technology that harnesses these structures as templates? This is the chief motivation for our current work. We present here an overview of previous research and associated technologies relating to biotemplating, and look at further application of the distinctive structures obtainable.