Autophagy works as a cellular housekeeper by eliminating defective proteins and organelles, the prevention of abnormal protein aggregate accumulation, and the removal of intracellular pathogens. Autophagy is a process of bulk degradation of cytoplasmic components by the lysosome or vacuole. Human ATG3, which displays the same enzymatic characteristics in vitro as yeast Apg3, is thought to be an autophagy-related ubiquitin carrier protein (E2)-like enzyme that is the go between for the conjugation on ATG8 and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE).

~40 kDa observed.
Calculated molecular weight of 36 kDa.

Purified Human ATG3 protein gel
0.05 µg of Human ATG3 recombinant protein was loaded onto 10-20% Bis-Tris gel and stained with ponceau.

Store at -80°C for up to 3 months after date of receipt. Avoid freeze/thaw cycles.

1 vial of 20 µg Human ATG3 recombinant protein in 20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0, containing 150 mM NaCl, protease inhibitor cocktail and 10% glycerol.

Function: E2 conjugating enzyme required for the cytoplasm to vacuole transport (Cvt), autophagy, and mitochondrial homeostasis. Responsible for the E2-like covalent binding of phosphatidylethanolamine to the C-terminal Gly of ATG8-like proteins (GABARAP, GABARAPL1, GABARAPL2 or MAP1LC3A). The ATG12-ATG5 conjugate plays a role of an E3 and promotes the transfer of ATG8-like proteins from ATG3 to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). This step is required for the membrane association of ATG8-like proteins. The formation of the ATG8-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugates is essential for autophagy and for the cytoplasm to vacuole transport (Cvt). Preferred substrate is MAP1LC3A. Also acts as an autocatalytic E2-like enzyme, catalyzing the conjugation of ATG12 to itself, ATG12 conjugation to ATG3 playing a role in mitochondrial homeostasis but not in autophagy. ATG7 (E1-like enzyme) facilitates this reaction by forming an E1-E2 complex with ATG3. Promotes primary ciliogenesis by removing OFD1 from centriolar satellites via the autophagic pathway.
Subunit structure: Interacts with ATG7 and ATG12. The complex, composed of ATG3 and ATG7, plays a role in the conjugation of ATG12 to ATG5. Interacts with FNBP1L.
Subcellular Location: Cytoplasm
Tissue specificity: Widely expressed, with a highest expression in heart, skeletal muscle, kidney, liver and placenta.
Post-translational modification: Conjugated to ATG12 at Lys-243. ATG12-conjugation plays a role in regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis and cell death, while it is not involved in PE-conjugation to ATG8-like proteins and autophagy.Cleaved by CASP8 upon death ligand binding such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha. CASP8 cleavage blocks survival-related autophagy and favors apoptosis.
Sequence similarities: Belongs to the ATG3 family.

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