Programmed cell death and cell engulfment (Caenorhabditis elegans)

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"Diagram illustrating the PtdIns(3)P-mediated pathway for the degradation of apoptotic cells in

C. elegans. The phagocytic receptor CED-1 and its adaptor CED-6 recruit the large GTPase DYN-1 to phagosomal surfaces, which in turn promotes the recruitment of PIKI-1 and VPS-34, resulting in the robust production of PtdIns(3)P on nascent phagosomes. RAB-5 is also proposed to facilitate the association of VPS-34 to phagosomes. MTM-1, which is localized on nascent phagosomes, promotes the rapid turnover of PtdIns(3)P. The phagosomal PtdIns(3)P is required for recruiting multiple phagosome maturation factors, including SNX-1, SNX-6, and LST-4/SNX-9, the direct PtdIns(3)P effectors, and small RAB GTPases, which act together to promote phagosome maturation and the degradation of apoptotic cells. LST-4/ SNX-9 also acts to stabilize the association of DYN-1 to phagosomes (dashed line). The question mark indicates that the mechanisms utilized by PtdIns(3)P to recruit RAB GTPases are not clear.

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001245.g009"