Autophagy Related Protein 9A (ATG9A)

The deduced 839-amino acid human protein has an APG9-like domain and predicted transmembrane domains. Northern blot and RT-PCR analysis detected APG9L1 in all tissues examined. Mouse Apg9l1 was also widely expressed. Time-lapse imaging showed that mouse Apg9l1 colocalized with the autophagosome membrane marker Lc3 (MAP1LC3A) in transfected COS-7 cells.

Knockdown of APG9L1 in HeLa cells reduced starvation-induced autophagosome formation and that mouse Apg9l2 (ATG9B) complemented the loss of APG9L1. APG9L1 is essential for mammalian autophagy and that APG9L2 is complementary to APG9L1.