This gene belongs to a group of vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) genes that, when functionally impaired, disrupt the efficient delivery of vacuolar hydrolases. The protein encoded by this gene is a component of a large multimeric complex, termed the retromer complex, which is involved in retrograde transport of proteins from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network. This VPS protein may be involved in the formation of the inner shell of the retromer coat for retrograde vesicles leaving the prevacuolar compartment. Alternative splice variants encoding different isoforms and representing non-protein coding transcripts have been found for this gene.