FIP200 organizes the autophagy machinery at p62-ubiquitin condensates beyond activation of the ULK1 kinase

Macroautophagy is a conserved degradation pathway, which mediates cellular homeostasis by the delivery of harmful substances into lysosomes. This is achieved by the sequestration of these substances referred to as cargo within double membrane vesicles, the autophagosomes, which form de novo. Among the many cargoes that are targeted by autophagy are condensates containing p62 and ubiquitinated proteins. p62 recruits the FIP200 protein to initiate autophagosome formation at the condensates. How FIP200 in turn organizes the autophagy machinery is unclear. Here we show that FIP200 is dispensable for the recruitment of the upstream autophagy machinery to the condensates, but it is necessary for phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate formation and WIPI2 recruitment. We further find that FIP200 is required for the activation of the ULK1 kinase. Surprisingly, ULK1 kinase activity is not strictly required for autophagosome formation at p62 condensates. Super-resolution microscopy of p62 condensates revealed that FIP200 surrounds the condensates where it spatially organizes ATG13 and ATG9A for productive autophagosome formation. Our data provide a mechanistic insight into how FIP200 orchestrates autophagosome initiation at the cargo.