YKT6 v-SNARE Homolog (YKT6)

YKT6 is a v-SNARE involved in endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi transport.Ykt6 and its homologs are highly conserved from yeast to human. Human YKT6 protein shares 47% and 57% sequence identity with S. cerevisiae and C. elegans homologs, respectively.Depletion of Ykt6p results in the accumulation of the p1 precursor of the vacuolar enzyme carboxypeptidase Y and morphologic abnormalities consistent with a defect in secretion. Membrane localization of Ykt6p is essential for protein function and is normally mediated by isoprenylation. However, replacement of the isoprenylation motif with a bona fide transmembrane anchor results in a functional protein confirming that membrane localization, but not isoprenylation per se, is required for function.