Activation of autophagy depends on Atg1/ULK1 mediated phosphorylation of the chaperone Hsp90

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 is involved in the stability and activity of its client proteins which largely comprise of kinases. Phosphorylation of Hsp90 by these kinase clients provides a reciprocal regulatory mechanism between these proteins, however the mechanism of regulating the cellular pathway remains elusive. Here, we show that the serine/threonine kinase Atg1(yeast)/ULK1(mammalian) phosphorylates a conserved serine in the amino-domain of Hsp90 and reduces its ATPase activity hence lowers chaperone function. Broadly this modification negatively impacts the chaperoning of the kinase clients including Atg1/ULK1, yet enhances the activity of the non-kinase clients such as the heat shock factor and the steroid hormone receptors. Interestingly, ATG1/ULK1 mediated phosphorylation of the Hsp90 is essential for initiation of autophagy since yeast expressing a non-phosphorylatable Hsp90 were unable to undergo autophagy and the phosphomimetic Hsp90 mutants were underwent autophagy even in the absence of stimulus. Our findings provide a new paradigm where kinase client mediated phosphorylation of Hsp90 not only regulates the chaperone function but it is essential to initiate and regulate the relevant signaling pathway.