ATG8 — Verticillium dahliae

Summary

VDAG_01225, designated VdATG8, encodes an autophagy-related protein belonging to the Atg8-like family and the ubiquitin-like domain superfamily, with phosphatidylethanolamine binding activity. In Verticillium dahliae, this gene is associated with autophagy, mitophagy, protein transport, cellular responses to nitrogen starvation and oxidative stress, asexual sporulation, transdifferentiation, anatomical structure formation involved in morphogenesis, and innate immunity. The protein localises to the cytoplasmic vesicle, fungal-type vacuole membrane, and Cvt vesicle membrane. VdATG8 is linked to the vascular wilt pathogen Verticillium dahliae and has been connected to numerous phenotypes including delayed autophagy, abnormal nucleophagy, decreased lifespan, absent cell cycle progression, delayed vegetative growth, and abnormal filamentous growth. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to loss of pathogenicity and reduced virulence.