Loss of Atg7-mediated autophagy hampered mitochondria removal and erythroid development, as well as proliferation and genomic integrity of hematopoietic stem cells, giving rise to severe and fatal anemia and myeloproliferation in Vav-Atg7−/− mice (Mortensen et al., 2010; 2011). The gene discussed is ATG7; the disease is anemia.