Atg8ylation and its Manifestations

This book covers the emerging field of membrane atg8ylation in 20 chapters contributed by the world’s best experts. In short, atg8ylation is to membranes what ubiquitylation is to proteins. Both function as homeostatic processes: atg8ylation guards and remodels cellular membranes whereas ubiquitylation does the same for proteins. The downstream manifestations of membrane atg8ylation include canonical autophagy and a plethora of diverse phenomena, known by their colorful acronyms, which are difficult to fit into the autophagy paradigm. The minimal substrate for atg8ylation is a phospholipid hemilayer, but more typically atg8ylation works on intracellular membranes consisting of lipid bilayers. The downstream functions of membrane atg8ylation as a novel homeostatic process and the associated physiology, health and disease states remain to be defined. One of the goals of this book is to promote interest and investigations in this growing field.