Description
Product Characteristics:
Serine/threonine-protein kinase involved in autophagy in response to starvation. Acts upstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase PIK3C3 to regulate the formation of autophagophores, the precursors of autophagosomes. Part of regulatory feedback loops in autophagy: acts both as a downstream effector and negative regulator of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) via interaction with RPTOR. Activated via phosphorylation by AMPK and also acts as a regulator of AMPK by mediating phosphorylation of AMPK subunits PRKAA1, PRKAB2 and PRKAG1, leading to negatively regulate AMPK activity. May phosphorylate ATG13/KIAA652 and RPTOR, however such data need additional evidences. Plays a role early in neuronal differentiation and is required for granule cell axon formation.
Subcellular location: Cytoplasm
Synonyms: ATG1, ATG1A, UNC51, hATG1, Unc51.1, Serine/threonine-protein kinase ULK1, Autophagy-related protein 1 homolog, Unc-51-like kinase 1, ULK1, KIAA722
Target Information: predicted to have similarity to C. elegans serine/threonine kinase UNC-51 [RGD, Feb 2006]