Recombinant Proteins
Product List
ATG4B Human
ATG4 Autophagy Related 4 Homolog B Human Recombinant
ATG4B is fused to an 8 amino acid His-tag at C-terminus & purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.
ATG5 Human
Autophagy Related 5 Human Recombinant
ATG5 is fused to a 20 amino acid His-tag at N-terminus & purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.
ATG10 Human
Autophagy Related 10 Human Recombinant
ATG10 is fused to a 23 amino acid His-tag at N-terminus & purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.
ATG3 Human
Autophagy Related 3 Human Recombinant
ATG3 is fused to a 23 amino acid His-tag at N-terminus & purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.
Introduction
Autophagy, derived from the Greek words “auto” (self) and “phagy” (eating), refers to the cellular process of degrading and recycling cytoplasmic components through lysosomes . This process is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis and responding to stress conditions. Autophagy can be classified into three main types:
- Macroautophagy: The most studied form, involving the formation of double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes that engulf cellular components and fuse with lysosomes for degradation .
- Microautophagy: Direct engulfment of cytoplasmic material by the lysosome through invagination of the lysosomal membrane .
- Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy (CMA): Selective degradation of specific proteins that are recognized by chaperones and translocated across the lysosomal membrane .
Autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) are essential for the autophagic process. These proteins are involved in the formation of autophagosomes and their fusion with lysosomes . Autophagy is ubiquitously expressed in various tissues, with high activity observed in the liver, brain, and muscle tissues . The expression patterns of autophagy-related genes are tightly regulated and can be influenced by factors such as nutrient availability, stress, and hormonal signals .
Autophagy serves several critical biological functions:
- Cellular Homeostasis: Maintains cellular homeostasis by degrading and recycling damaged organelles and proteins .
- Immune Responses: Plays a role in innate and adaptive immunity by degrading intracellular pathogens and presenting antigens to immune cells .
- Pathogen Recognition: Autophagy can recognize and eliminate intracellular pathogens, contributing to the host defense mechanism .
Autophagy involves complex interactions with other cellular molecules and pathways:
- Binding Partners: Autophagy-related proteins interact with various binding partners to form complexes essential for autophagosome formation and maturation .
- Downstream Signaling Cascades: Autophagy is regulated by several signaling pathways, including the mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) and AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) pathways, which respond to nutrient and energy levels .
The regulation of autophagy involves multiple layers of control:
- Transcriptional Regulation: Transcription factors such as TFEB (transcription factor EB) and FOXO (forkhead box O) regulate the expression of autophagy-related genes in response to cellular stress .
- Post-Translational Modifications: Autophagy-related proteins undergo various post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination, which modulate their activity and stability .
Autophagy has significant applications in biomedical research and therapeutic strategies:
- Biomedical Research: Understanding autophagy mechanisms can provide insights into various diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious diseases .
- Diagnostic Tools: Autophagy markers can be used as diagnostic tools to monitor disease progression and response to therapy .
- Therapeutic Strategies: Modulating autophagy can be a potential therapeutic strategy for treating diseases such as cancer, where autophagy can either promote or inhibit tumor growth depending on the context .
Autophagy plays a vital role throughout the life cycle, from development to aging:
- Development: Essential for embryogenesis, differentiation, and tissue remodeling .
- Aging: Autophagy activity declines with age, contributing to the accumulation of damaged proteins and organelles, which is associated with aging and age-related diseases .
- Disease: Dysregulation of autophagy is implicated in various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer .
