ATG9A: Proteins and Enzymes

Survival of environmental stress conditions requires the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. To preserve this balance, cells utilize a degradative mechanism known as autophagy. During this process, in response to starvation or other stresses, bulk cytoplasm is non-specifically sequestered within double-membrane vesicles and delivered to the lysosome/vacuole for subsequent degradation and recycling. Atg9 is the only integral membrane protein required for autophagosome formation and is considered a membrane carrier in autophagy-related pathways.