http://www.creativebiomart.net/description_382795_12.htm

ATG8, also known as GABARAPL1, is a ubiquitin-like protein which consists of a 5-stranded beta;-sheet. ATG8 plays a key role in autophagy, the cellular process mediating the lysosome/vacuole-dependent turnover of macromolecules and organelles. ATG8 is especially important in macroautophagy. It is localized in the cytoplasm and at the PAS under nutrient-rich conditions, but becomes membrane-associated in case of autophagy induction. ATG8 then localizes to the site of autophagosome nucleation, the phagophore-assembly site. The subsequent recruitment of ATG8 and other autophagy-related proteins is believed to trigger vesicle expansion in a concerted manner, presumably by providing the driving force for membrane curvature. ATG8 is also required for a different autophagy-related process called the Cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway.