Vacuolar Protein Sorting 16 (VPS16)

Genetic studies in yeast have identified more than 40 vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) genes involved in vesicle transport to vacuoles. This gene encodes the human homolog of yeast class C Vps16 protein. The mammalian class C Vps proteins are predominantly associated with late endosomes/lysosomes, and like their yeast counterparts, may mediate vesicle trafficking steps in the endosome/lysosome pathway. The deduced 839-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 94.7 kD. VPS16 shares 24% amino acid identity with yeast Vps16. ESTs sharing significant similarity were also detected in bovine, rat, and mouse databases. Northern blot analysis detected a 3.0-kb VPS16 mRNA in all tissues examined, with highest expression in liver and lowest expression in lung.