When ER stress occurs, ATF6 is transported from the ER to the Golgi apparatus where it is cleaved by specific proteases. This cleavage releases the cytosolic portion of ATF6, which then translocates to the nucleus. In the nucleus, ATF6 binds to ER stress response elements (ERSE) in the DNA, initiating the transcription of target genes that help mitigate ER stress.
