Putative GTPase which is required for clearance of acute protozoan and bacterial infections. Functions in innate immune response probably through regulation of autophagy. May regulate pro-inflammatory cytokine production and prevent endotoxemia upon infection. May also play a role in macrophages adhesion and motility (By similarity). Behaves like an integral membrane protein. Recruited to the plasma membrane around forming phagocytic cups, it remains associated with maturing autophagosomes. Preferentially associated with cis- and medial-Golgi. Widely expressed (at protein level). Expressed in several tissues including colon, small bowel and peripheral blood leukocytes. Not up-regulated by IFNG/IFN-gamma. The G5 motif of the IRG-type G domain is missing because the IRGM protein is truncated in anthropoids. Disease susceptibility is associated with variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. Depletion of IRGM by siRNA favors mycobacteria survival in macrophages. There is a huge difference in terms of sequence and regulation of expression compared to the mouse ortholog and hence, the function might be slightly different. Belongs to the TRAFAC class dynamin-like GTPase superfamily. IRG family.