Lurcher, nPIST, and autophagy

Previous work has shown that neurodegeneration in the lurcher mouse is due to a mutation in the GluRδ2 gene that results in a constitutively active glutamate receptor ion channel. Characterization of the cell death pathway in these animals reported by Yue et al. 2002, in this issue of Neuron provides important insight into the toxicity induced by the abundant transmitter glutamate. Through protein-protein interactions, the GluRδ2^Lc mutant channel activates autophagy.