ubiquitin-like (Ubl) domain found in autophagy-related protein 12 (ATG12)
Autophagy is an essential intracellular process that targets large protein complexes, bacterial pathogens, and organelles for degradation. The autophagy-related ubiquitin-like (Ubl) proteins such as ATG12 protein have a conserved Ubl fold structure and undergo a unique Ubl conjugation, a process essential for autophagosome formation. ATG12 is conjugated to ATG5 by multistep modifications of the E1-like (ubiquitin activating) enzyme ATG7, and the E2-like (ubiquitin conjugating) enzyme ATG10. The ATG12-ATG5 conjugate facilitates the lipidation of ATG8 and directs its correct subcellular localization. ATG12 is localized at the developing autophagosome.