Abstract
It is becoming increasingly clear that the Atg8 family of autophagy proteins have roles not only in the cytoplasm, but also in the cell nucleus. In this issue, Jiménez-Moreno et al. (2023. J. Cell Biol.https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201910133) report that nuclear LC3B binds to the LIM homeodomain transcription factor LMX1B and acts as a cofactor for LMX1B-mediated transcription of autophagy genes, providing stress protection and ensuring survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons.