ATG12 — Verticillium dahliae

Summary

VDAG_10057, designated VdATG12, encodes a ubiquitin-like protein ATG12 with APG8 ligase activity and a protein tag molecular function. In Verticillium dahliae, this gene is associated with autophagy, including glycophagy, autophagy of mitochondrion, piecemeal microautophagy of the nucleus (PMN), and protein transport. The product localises to the Atg12-Atg5-Atg16 complex and the PAS membrane. VdATG12 is associated with vascular wilt disease in this soil-borne fungal pathogen. Studies of related genes in other species connect the ATG12 family to loss of pathogenicity.