ATG5/APG5L [MD319]

Autophagy is a catabolic process for the autophagosomic-lysosomal degradation of bulk cytoplasmic contents. Autophagy is generally activated by conditions of nutrient deprivation but has also been associated with a number of physiological processes including development, differentiation, neurodegeneration, infection, and cancer. The autophagy protein 5 (ATG5), in combination with autophagy protein 12 (ATG12), functions as an E1-like activating enzyme in a ubiquitin-like conjugating system. The encoded protein is involved in several cellular processes, including autophagic vesicle formation, mitochondrial quality control after oxidative damage, negative regulation of the innate antiviral immune response, lymphocyte development and proliferation, MHC II antigen presentation, adipocyte differentiation, and apoptosis. This conjugation reaction is mediated by the ubiquitin E1-like enzyme ATG7 and the E2-like enzyme ATG10.