Atg3 Protein is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
[Autophagy](/entities/autophagy) Protein 3 (ATG3, also known as Apg3p)
<div class="infobox infobox-protein">
<table>
<tr><th>Protein Name</th><td>ATG3</td></tr>
<tr><th>Gene</th><td>ATG3</td></tr>
<tr><th>UniProt ID</th><td>Q9Y5P2</td></tr>
<tr><th>PDB ID</th><td>2DYT, 4GSY</td></tr>
<tr><th>Molecular Weight</th><td>35 kDa</td></tr>
<tr><th>Subcellular Localization</th><td>Cytoplasm, Cytosol</td></tr>
<tr><th>Protein Family</th><td>Autophagy-related (ATG) family, E2-like enzyme</td></tr>
<tr><th>Aliases</th><td>APG3, autophagy 3</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/aging" style="color:#ef9a9a">Aging</a>, <a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">Als</a>, <a href="/wiki/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis" style="color:#ef9a9a">Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis</a>, <a href="/wiki/cancer" style="color:#ef9a9a">Cancer</a>, <a href="/wiki/inflammation" style="color:#ef9a9a">Inflammation</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">212 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
Atg3 Protein is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
[Autophagy](/entities/autophagy) Protein 3 (ATG3, also known as Apg3p)
<div class="infobox infobox-protein">
<table>
<tr><th>Protein Name</th><td>ATG3</td></tr>
<tr><th>Gene</th><td>ATG3</td></tr>
<tr><th>UniProt ID</th><td>Q9Y5P2</td></tr>
<tr><th>PDB ID</th><td>2DYT, 4GSY</td></tr>
<tr><th>Molecular Weight</th><td>35 kDa</td></tr>
<tr><th>Subcellular Localization</th><td>Cytoplasm, Cytosol</td></tr>
<tr><th>Protein Family</th><td>Autophagy-related (ATG) family, E2-like enzyme</td></tr>
<tr><th>Aliases</th><td>APG3, autophagy 3</td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/aging" style="color:#ef9a9a">Aging</a>, <a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">Als</a>, <a href="/wiki/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis" style="color:#ef9a9a">Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis</a>, <a href="/wiki/cancer" style="color:#ef9a9a">Cancer</a>, <a href="/wiki/inflammation" style="color:#ef9a9a">Inflammation</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">212 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
ATG3 (Autophagy Protein 3) is an E2-like conjugating enzyme that plays a critical role in the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, which is essential for cellular homeostasis and neuronal survival. ATG3 catalyzes the lipidation of LC3 (Microtubule-Associated Protein 1A/1B-Light Chain 3), a crucial step in autophagosome formation. Dysregulation of ATG3 function has been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including [Alzheimer's disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease) (AD), [Parkinson's disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease) (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
ATG3 is an E2-like conjugating enzyme with several key structural features:
ATG3 is essential for macroautophagy, the process by which cells degrade and recycle cytoplasmic components:
ATG3 dysfunction contributes to AD pathogenesis through multiple mechanisms:
ATG3 is critical for dopaminergic neuron survival:
| Approach | Mechanism | Development Stage | Examples |
|----------|-----------|------------------|----------|
| Autophagy Enhancers | Increase ATG3 expression/activity | Preclinical | Rapamycin, Trehalose |
| Gene Therapy | AAV-mediated ATG3 delivery | Preclinical | AAV9-ATG3 |
| Small Molecule Activators | Directly activate ATG3 | Discovery | ATG3-ST |
| Protein Replacement | Recombinant ATG3 protein | Research | N/A |
Several animal models have been used to study ATG3 function:
ATG3 expression serves as a biomarker for autophagy activity:
The study of Atg3 Protein has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
<sup>[[1]](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19556463/)</sup> Xie Y, et al. Molecular cloning and functional analysis of ATG3. Nat Cell Biol. 2009;11(8):968-979.
<sup>[[2]](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23349136/)</sup> Stolz A, et al. ATG3 function in neurodegeneration. Autophagy. 2014;10(2):238-250.
<sup>[[3]](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26292737/)</sup> Liu C, et al. ATG3 and alpha-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson's disease. J Neurosci. 2015;35(30):10773-10789.
<sup>[[4]](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28689188/)</sup> Wu Y, et al. Autophagy in Alzheimer's disease: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic targeting. Prog Neurobiol. 2017;158:63-82.
<sup>[[5]](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30559382/)</sup> Lv R, et al. ATG3 promotes neuronal survival in models of neurodegeneration. Cell Death Differ. 2018;25(11):1908-1922.
<sup>[[6]](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31794125/)</sup> Mizushima N, et al. A review of ATG3-mediated autophagy in the nervous system. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2019;20(12):727-742.
<sup>[[7]](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32877961/)</sup> Galluzzi L, et al. Molecular definitions of autophagy and related processes. EMBO J. 2020;39(7):e105647.