The Cvt pathway and bulk autophagy are blocked in cells expressing Atg9F627A, although its recruitment to the PAS and the PAS positioning are not affected. (A) WT (SEY6210), atg9∆ (RGY751) and atg9∆ cells carrying an integrative plasmid expressing either Atg9-GFP (RGY871, Atg9) or Atg9F627A-GFP (RGY874, Atg9F627A) were grown to a log phase in YPD medium before being nitrogen starved for 4 h in SD-N medium. Proteins were precipitated with 10% trichloroacetic acid and analyzed by western blot using anti-Ape1 and anti-Pgk1 antibodies. Pgk1 served as the loading control. The percentage of prApe1 maturation was quantified and asterisks indicate significant differences with the WT cells. (B) WT (YTS159), atg9∆ (FRY244) and atg9∆ cells expressing either tagged Atg9-GFP (RGY883, Atg9) or AtgF627A-GFP (RGY872, Atg9F627A) were grown to a log phase in YPD or nitrogen starved in SD-N medium for 4 h before measuring Pho8∆60 activity in cell lysates. Pho8∆60 activity was expressed relative to the WT control in YPD medium. Asterisks indicate significant differences with then nitrogen-starved atg9∆ strain carrying WT Atg9. (C) Subcellular distribution of Atg9. The atg9∆ strain expressing mCherry-Atg8, a PAS marker protein, and either Atg9-GFP (RGY745) or Atg9F627A-GFP (RGY884), was grown to an early log phase in YPD medium, nitrogen-starved in SD-N medium for 1 h and labelled with CMAC, a dye specifically staining the vacuole, before being imaged. DIC, differential interference contrast. Scale bar: 2 μm. (D) Quantification of the percentage of cells in panel C with mCherry-Atg8-positive PAS. Asterisks highlight significant differences with cells expressing WT Atg9. (E) Quantification of Atg9-GFP puncta per cell in the experiment shown in panel C. Asterisks indicate significant differences with cells carrying WT Atg9. (F) Statistical evaluation of the percentage with mCherry-Atg8-positive PAS also positive for Atg9-GFP in the experiment depicted in panel A. (G) Quantification of the percentage of mCherry-Atg8-positive PAS in close proximity of the vacuole in panel C. (H) The atg9∆ strain co-expressing endogenous Sec63-GFP, an ER marker protein, and mCherry-Atg8, and carrying an empty vector (RGY760, atg9∆) or an integration plasmid expressing Atg9-13xMYC (RGY762, Atg9) or Atg9F627A-13xMYC (RGY876, Atg9F627A), were imaged as in Figure 2C. DIC, differential interference contrast. Scale bar: 2 μm. (I) Statistical evaluation of the percentage of mCherry-Atg8-positive PAS associated with the ER in the experiment shown in panel A.