The ARLA1A-NAC089 module coordinates ER phagy with the unfolded protein response to maintain cellular homeostasis in plants.

The ARLA1A-NAC089 module regulates ER phagy and UPR to sustain cellular balance in plants, with ARLA1A inhibiting ER phagy via NAC089 during stress.

• Why it matters: Understanding how ER stress responses are coordinated in plants is crucial for improving stress resilience and cellular health, yet the molecular mechanisms remain unclear.
• What they did: Researchers identified NAC089 as an ER-phagy receptor downstream of ARLA1A GTPase, showing that active ARLA1A suppresses ER phagy by negatively regulating NAC089 under carbon starvation conditions.
• The result: This regulatory network balances cell survival and death, revealing targets for enhancing plant adaptation to environmental stresses through modulation of ER quality-control pathways.