Autophagy related 12 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ATG12gene.[5][6]
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 (Mizushima et al., 1998).[supplied by OMIM][6]
Autophagy requires the covalent attachment of the protein Atg12 to ATG5 through a ubiquitin-like conjugation system. The Atg12-Atg5 conjugate then promotes the conjugation of ATG8 to the lipid phosphatidylethanolamine.[7]
Atg12 was found to be involved in apoptosis. This protein promotes apoptosis through an interaction with anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family.[8]
^J. Geng, and D. J. Klionsky, 'The Atg8 and Atg12 Ubiquitin-Like Conjugation Systems in Macroautophagy. 'Protein Modifications: Beyond the Usual Suspects' Review Series', EMBO Rep, 9 (2008), 859-64.
^A. D. Rubinstein, M. Eisenstein, Y. Ber, S. Bialik, and A. Kimchi, 'The Autophagy Protein Atg12 Associates with Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 Family Members to Promote Mitochondrial Apoptosis', Mol Cell, 44 (2011), 698-709
