ATG1 — Schizosaccharomyces pombe 972h-

Summary

SPCC63.08C, designated ATG1 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe 972h- on chromosome 3, encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase (EC 2.7.11.1) belonging to the Atg1-like family, with ATP-binding and protein serine/threonine kinase activity. The gene is associated with autophagy regulation, including macroautophagy, mitophagy, ER-phagy, and the cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway. It is linked to cellular responses to nitrogen and potassium ion starvation, as well as starvation responses generally. ATG1 is associated with meiotic chromosome segregation, spindle elongation, meiosis I, and filamentous growth. The encoded protein localises to the phagophore assembly site (PAS), phagophore membrane, vacuole membrane, and vacuole-IM contact sites. Phenotypic associations include abnormal colony size, delayed autophagy and mitophagy, absent meiosis, decreased cell cycle progression, and increased necrotic cell death. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to nitrogen and sugar content traits and reduced virulence.