New Light-Controlled Tool (ASAP) Developed to Precisely Halt Cellular Recycling, Offering Disease Clues

Salk Institute biologists have debuted a new light-controlled tool called ASAP (Autophagic SNARE for Abrupt Photomanipulation) that can rapidly, precisely, and reversibly turn off the cellular recycling process known as autophagy. Published in Nature Cell Biology, this tool is a significant advance for understanding fundamental cell biology. Using ASAP, the study confirmed suspected autophagy targets, revealed entirely new ones, and suggested a link between protein building and breakdown. This breakthrough could lead to new therapeutic targets for diseases like neurodegeneration, cancer, aging, and infection.