GlRac regulates an ATG8-independent autophagy-like pathway in Giardia lamblia.

Giardia lamblia employs a unique ATG8-independent autophagy-like pathway regulated by GlRac, with over 100 compartments forming during nutrient stress.

• Why it matters: Understanding autophagy in Giardia is crucial because it lacks most canonical ATG genes, raising questions about how this parasite manages cellular homeostasis and survival under stress conditions.
• What they did: The study used microscopy, gene knockdowns, and pharmacological inhibitors to identify and characterize GlRac-regulated compartments, revealing their formation, regulation, and degradation features.
• The result: Findings demonstrate that Giardia retains key autophagy features and that GlRac controls this pathway, which may be vital for parasite fitness and could inform new therapeutic strategies.