Autophagy Related Protein 12 (ATG12)

Autophagy is a process of bulk protein degradation in which cytoplasmic components, including organelles, are enclosed in double-membrane structures called autophagosomes and delivered to lysosomes or vacuoles for degradation. ATG12 is the human homolog of a yeast protein involved in autophagy.

The C-terminal half of ATG12 shares significant similarity with yeast Apg12, including conservation of the C-terminal glycine, which is involved in Apg5 (ATG5)-Apg12 conjugation in yeast.ATG12 was conjugated to ATG5. Western blot analysis detected the ATG12-ATG5 conjugate at an apparent molecular mass of 65 kD. The C-terminal glycine of ATG12 was conjugated to a central lysine (lys130) of ATG5. Mutation of either residue abrogated conjugation.