Cysteine protease ATG4A (ATG4A)

Cysteine protease required for the cytoplasm to vacuole transport (Cvt) and autophagy. Cleaves the C-terminal amino acid of ATG8 family proteins to reveal a C-terminal glycine.

Exposure of the glycine at the C-terminus is essential for ATG8 proteins conjugation into phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and insertion to membranes, which is essential for autophagy. Preferred substrate is GABARAPL2 followed by MAP1LC3A and GABARAP.