Table 1 Autophagy-related (Atg) genes and their protein function in autophagy

ULK1/2

(Unc51-like kinase 1 and 2)

Atg1

Is part of the ULK-ATG13-ATG101-FIP200 complex and phosphorylates Beclin1; interacts with Atg13; is involved in initiation of autophagy, membrane targeting, membrane curvature sensing, and lipid vesicle tethering

[51,52,53,54]

ATG2A/B

Atg2

Is part of the ATG9/ATG12-WIPI complex, which is important for ATG9 recruitment to expand autophagosome

[55, 56]

ATG3

Atg3

E2-like enzyme in LC3 lipidation; autocatalyzes itself to form ATG12-ATG3 complex for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis

[57,58,59]

ATG4A-D

Atg4

Cysteine protease to process Atg8 by removing its last amino acid; and deconjugate Atg8–PE; involved in LC3 activation and delipidation

[60, 61]

ATG5

Atg5

Is part of the ATG12-ATG5 complex involved in autophagosome formation/elongation, acting as an E3-like enzyme in LC3 lipidation; interacts with Atg16 and plays crucial roles in autophagy.

[62, 63]

Beclin1

Atg6

Is subunit of the VPS34-PI3K complex; recruits Atg14 or Vps38; interacts with Bcl-2; and lipid binding and membrane deformation

[64, 65]

ATG7

Atg7

E1-like enzyme interacting with E2 enzyme Atg10 or Atg3 involved in LC3 and ATG12 conjugation; and forms a thioester bond with Atg8

[66,67,68]

MAP 1 LC3A-C, GABARAPs, GATE-16

Atg8

Modifier; Ubiquitin-like module conjugated to PE and used as autophagosome marker; recognizes the cargo-specific adaptors; and in vitro membrane tethering

[69,70,71]

ATG9L1/L2

Atg9

Transmembrane protein; interacts with ATG2-WIPI complex; shuttles between PAS and peripheral organelles to deliver lipids/factors during phagophore expansion; and self-interaction

[72, 73]

ATG10

Atg10

E2-like enzyme in ATG12 conjugation with Atg5

[74,75,76]

ATG12

Atg12

Modifier; ubiquitin-like module conjugated to Atg5; forms an E3 complex with Atg5 and Atg16; and interacts with Atg3

[59, 62, 77]

ATG13

Atg13

Is part of the ULK-ATG13-ATG101-FIP200 complex involved in initiation of autophagy; targets mTOR signaling pathway; interact with Atg1 and bridges Atg1 and Atg17-Atg31-Atg29; recruits the Vps34 complex via Atg14; binds to LC3; and interacts with Atg101

[78,79,80]

ATG14L

(Barkor)

Atg14

Is subunit of VPS34-PI3K complex; interacts with Beclin1 to assemble the autophagic-specific complex; membrane targeting and membrane curvature sensing; and promote membrane fusion

[81,82,83]

ATG16L1/L2

Atg16

Binds to ATG5-ATG12 complex acting as part of the E3 enzyme complex

[84,85,86]

RB1CC1/ FIP200

Atg17

Is part of the ULK-ATG13-ATG101-FIP200 complex involved in initiation of autophagy; interacts with Atg13 and Atg9; forms ternary complex with Atg31 and Atg29; and senses membrane curvature

[53, 78, 87]

WIPI1–4

Atg18

Is part of the ATG2-WIPI complex which is important for ATG9 recruitment to autophagosome; binds to PI3P; required for the retrograde transport of Atg9; and complexes with Atg2

[88, 89]

ATG101

–

Interact with Atg13 and forms the ULK-ATG13-ATG101-FIP200 complex

[90, 91]