ATG8 — Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4

Summary

ANIA_05131, designated AnATG8 on chromosome 5 of Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4, encodes a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein belonging to the Atg8-like and ubiquitin-like domain families. The gene is associated with autophagy, mitophagy, and pexophagy, as well as with asexual sporulation, mating type switching, meiosis, and biofilm formation. It is linked to cellular responses to nitrogen starvation, oxidative stress, and starvation generally, and to processes including autolysis, cell death, protein secretion, exocytosis, endocytosis, and protein transport. AnATG8 localises to the phagophore assembly site (PAS), Cvt vesicle membrane, cytoplasmic vesicles, fungal-type vacuole and its membrane, and adiposomes. Phenotypic associations include delayed autophagy, decreased lifespan, abnormal filamentous growth, arrested mitotic cell cycle, and absent nuclear fusion during mating. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to biomass yield, germination rate, and reduced virulence.