Predicted to contribute to Atg8-family ligase activity. Involved in cellular response to starvation; glycophagy; and larval midgut cell programmed cell death. Located in autophagosome. Is expressed in adult head; organism; and salivary gland. Used to study hereditary ataxia. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia 25. Orthologous to human ATG5 (autophagy related 5).