ATG 7, present in both plant and animal genomes, acts as an essential protein for cell degradation and its recycling. The sequence associates with the ubiquitin- proteasome system, UPS, required for the unique development of an autophagosomal membrane and fusion within cells. During the initiation of autophagy, ATG7 acts like an E-1 enzyme for ubiquitin-like proteins (UBL) such as ATG12 and ATG8. ATG7 helps these UBL proteins in targeting their molecule by binding to them and activating their transfer to an E-2 enzyme. ATG7's role in both of these autophagy-specific UBL systems makes it an essential regulator of autophagosome assembly.
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