Interestingly, three autophagy/mitophagy related proteins (autophagy-related protein 13, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase RNF 185 and ubiquitin-like modifier-activating enzyme ATG7) were seen as differentially expressed in the mitochondrial proteome, and as autophagy is up-regulated in β°-thalassemia/Hb E erythroblasts as compared to normal control erythroblasts [27], it suggests that selective mitophagy [28], rather than autophagy per se is disrupted. This evidence concerns the gene ATG13 and thalassemia.