Autophagic processes in plants: mechanisms, regulation and function

Large numbers of publications investigating the molecular details, the regulation and the physiological roles of autophagic processes have appeared over the last few years, dealing with animals, plants and unicellular eukaryotic organisms. This strong interest is caused by the fact that autophagic processes are ubiquitous in eukaryotic organisms. They are involved in the adaptation of organisms to their environment and to stressful conditions, thereby contributing to cell and organism survival and longevity. This review article aims to describe the discovery of autophagy, the molecular details of this complex process, its regulation, and its specific functions in plants.