Plays an important role in the regulation of different protein degradation mechanisms and pathways including ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), autophagy and the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway. Mediates the proteasomal targeting of misfolded or accumulated proteins for degradation by binding (via UBA domain) to their polyubiquitin chains and by interacting (via ubiquitin-like domain) with the subunits of the proteasome (PubMed:10983987). Plays a role in the ERAD pathway via its interaction with ER-localized proteins FAF2/UBXD8 and HERPUD1 and may form a link between the polyubiquitinated ERAD substrates and the proteasome (PubMed:18307982, PubMed:24215460). Involved in the regulation of macroautophagy and autophagosome formation; required for maturation of autophagy-related protein LC3 from the cytosolic form LC3-I to the membrane-bound form LC3-II and may assist in the maturation of autophagosomes to autolysosomes by mediating autophagosome-lysosome fusion (PubMed:19148225, PubMed:20529957). Negatively regulates the endocytosis of GPCR receptors: AVPR2 and ADRB2, by specifically reducing the rate at which receptor-arrestin complexes concentrate in clathrin-coated pits (CCPs) (PubMed:18199683).
