Vacuolar protein-sorting-associated protein 25 (VPS25)

Vacuolar protein-sorting-associated protein 25 (VPS25) is a subunit of the ESCRT-II complex, an evolutionarily conserved protein complex required for the sorting of ubiquitinated transmembrane proteins to lysosomes via formation of multivesicular bodies (MVBs)[1][3][4][5]. VPS25 contributes to the Y-shaped ESCRT-II complex as two copies in its core, alongside VPS22 and VPS36[2][10]. The ESCRT-II complex, including VPS25, acts as an essential scaffold to recruit and coordinate downstream ESCRT-III assembly, enabling vesicular budding and cargo sequestration into MVBs[4][6]. Apart from its trafficking role, the ESCRT-II complex (through VPS25 and partners) can interact with the elongation factor ELL to modulate transcription[1][9]. While VPS25 is essential for cell homeostasis by governing endosomal trafficking and degradation, there is currently no evidence it serves as a direct therapeutic target, and no drugs known to act on this protein in a selective manner have been described[3][7]. Dysfunction in VPS25 or the ESCRT pathway has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, such as frontotemporal dementia/ALS, and altered pathways of viral budding[3][5].

Other names

DERP9EAP20hVps25MGC10540FAP20Dermal papilla-derived protein 9ELL-associated protein of 20 kDaESCRT-II complex subunit VPS25