Background of the antigen
Ubiquitin-like protein involved in autophagy vesicles formation. Conjugation with ATG5 through a ubiquitin-like conjugating system involving also ATG7 as an E1-like activating enzyme and ATG1 as an E2-like conjugating enzyme, is essential for its function. The ATG12-ATG5 conjugate acts as an E3-like enzyme which is required for lipidation of ATG8 family proteins and their association to the vesicle membranes. The ATG12-ATG5 conjugate also regulates negatively the innate antiviral immune response by blocking the type I IFN production pathway through direct association with RARRES3 and MAVS. Plays also a role in translation or delivery of incoming viral RNA to the translation apparatus.
