VPS11 — Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11

VPS11 — Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11

Overview

VPS11 — Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11

Overview

<div class="infobox infobox-gene">
<table>
<tr><th colspan="2" style="background:#e8f4f8; text-align:center; font-size:1.1em;">VPS11 — Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11</th></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Gene Symbol</strong></td><td>VPS11</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Full Name</strong></td><td>Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11 Homolog</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Chromosome</strong></td><td>11p15.5</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>NCBI Gene ID</strong></td><td>[221527](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/221527)</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>OMIM</strong></td><td>[610157](https://www.omim.org/entry/610157)</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Ensembl ID</strong></td><td>ENSG00000160602</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>UniProt ID</strong></td><td>[Q9Y5G6](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9Y5G6)</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Protein Name</strong></td><td>VPS11</td></tr>
<tr><td><strong>Associated Diseases</strong></td><td>[Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease), [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease), Lysosomal Storage Disorders</td></tr>
</table>
</div>

VPS11 is a human gene whose product VPS11 (Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11) is a core component of the HOPS (Homotypic fusion and Vacuole Protein Sorting) complex, which mediates late endosome-lysosome and autophagosome-lysosome fusion. It functions as a tethering factor essential for membrane trafficking and lysosomal degradation["@balderhaar2013"]. This page covers the gene's normal function, disease associations, expression patterns, and key research findings relevant to neurodegeneration.

Function

VPS11 (Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11) is a core component of the HOPS (Homotypic fusion and Vacuole Protein Sorting) complex, which mediates late endosome-lysosome and autophagosome-lysosome fusion. It functions as a tethering factor essential for membrane trafficking and lysosomal degradation[@balderhaar2013].

HOPS Complex

• VPS11
• VPS16
• VPS18
• VPS33A/B
• VPS39
• VPS41

Role in Lysosomal Function

• Endosome-lysosome fusion: Mediates trafficking to lysosomes
• Autophagosome-lysosome fusion: Essential for autophagy completion
• Lysosomal nutrient sensing: Links nutrient status to degradation

Disease Associations

Parkinson's Disease

• Lysosomal dysfunction: HOPS defects impair α-synuclein clearance
• Genetic associations: VPS11 variants in PD patients
• Autophagy impairment: Defective autophagosome-lysosome fusion

Alzheimer's Disease

• Amyloid clearance: Lysosomal degradation of amyloid-beta
• Tau pathology: May affect tau degradation
• Autophagy impairment: Similar to PD mechanisms[@mehta2021]

Lysosomal Storage Disorders

• HOPS complex dysfunction: Affects lysosomal trafficking and degradation
• Neuronal vulnerability: Lysosomal defects particularly impact neurons
• Therapeutic target: Enhancing HOPS function may help

Mechanism in Neurodegeneration

Autophagic-Lysosomal Pathway

Therapeutic Implications

| Target | Approach | Status |
|--------|----------|--------|
| HOPS enhancement | Small molecule promoters | Research |
| Gene therapy | AAV-VPS11 | Preclinical |
| Autophagy modulation | mTOR inhibitors | Clinical trials |

Expression

• Brain: High expression in [cortex](/brain-regions/cortex), [hippocampus](/brain-regions/hippocampus), basal ganglia
• Cell types: [Neurons](/entities/neurons), [astrocytes](/entities/astrocytes)
• Subcellular: Lysosomes, late endosomes
• Regulation: mTORC1 negatively regulates

Key Publications

See Also

• [Parkinson's Disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
• [Alzheimer's Disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
• [Autophagy Pathway](/mechanisms/autophagy-lysosome-pathway)
• [HOPS Complex](/proteins/hops-complex)
• [Lysosomal Trafficking](/mechanisms/lysosomal-trafficking)

External Links

• [NCBI Gene: VPS11](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/221527)
• [Ensembl: ENSG00000160602](https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000160602)
• [UniProt: Q9Y5G6](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9Y5G6)

References

Pathway Diagram

The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving VPS11 — Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11 discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis: