Connects the ubiquitin pathway to autophagy by functioning as a ubiquitin-ATG8 adapter and thus mediating autophagic clearance of ubiquitin conjugates under starvation conditions. The CUE5-dependent selective autophagy pathway plays an important role in clearance of cytotoxic protein aggregates. Not required for cytoplasmic to vacuole pathway (cvt), mitophagy, pexophagy, or ribophagy. Interacts with ATG8 (via AIM motif), CLB2, and ubiquitin (via CUE domain). Localizes to cytoplasm in a punctate pattern. The ATG8-interaction motif (AIM) is required for the association with ATG8. Present with 623 molecules/cell in log phase SD medium.