China Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (2): 598-609.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2026.02.008

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Research Progress on the Biological Functions of Autophagy-related Protein 5 in Diseases

ZHAO Qinglu(), WANG Xuanjie, ZHANG Rui()   

  1. Key Laboratory of Animal Medicine in Universities of Sichuan Province,Southwest Minzu University,Chengdu 610041,China
  • Received:2025-05-08 Online:2026-02-20 Published:2026-01-28
  • Contact: ZHANG Rui E-mail:3278153307@qq.com;zhangrui.caas@foxmail.com

Abstract:

Autophagy is a highly conserved self-degradation process in eukaryotic cells that maintains intracellular homeostasis by removing damaged organelles, aberrant proteins, and invading pathogens. Under stress conditions, it provides cells with energy and material support, enabling the recycling and renewal of intracellular substances. Autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) are the core executors of this process. As a central protein in autophagy, ATG5 interacts with proteins such as ATG12 and ATG16L1 through two ubiquitin-like domains (UblA and UblB) and one helix-rich domain to form complexes, driving the formation and extension of autophagosomes. During autophagy, ATG5 mediates autophagosome membrane extension by promoting LC3 lipidation. Post-translational modifications of ATG5 (such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination and SUMOylation) further refine its function, affecting autophagosome maturation and cellular localization. ATG5 not only participates in autophagy regulation but also plays a crucial role in non-autophagic pathways such as apoptosis, inflammatory responses, DNA damage repair and metabolic regulation. Additionally, abnormal expression or dysfunction of ATG5 is closely associated with various diseases, including tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases and metabolic disorders. This article provides a systematic review of the structural characteristics, biological functions, and disease-related mechanisms of ATG5, aiming to offer insights and references for the treatment of related diseases.

Key words: autophagy; ATG5; structural characterization; biological function

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