TMED9-SEC12, an important 'contact' for autophagy

Autophagosome biogenesis occurs via a complex mechanism that involves membranes from different subcellular compartments. Here, we review an elegant study from Li et al. describing a new type of ERGIC-ERES membrane contact mediated by TMED9 and SEC12 that leads to the formation of COPII-coated vesicles essential for the formation of the autophagosome, and attempt to reconcile their findings with our studies proposing that the recycling endosome is a core platform for autophagosome biogenesis.