The function of this family is conflicting. In the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, this protein has been shown to interact with the telomere cap complex [1,2] and it is also required for dimerisation and kinase activation of Atg1 [3]. However, in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, this protein is called ATG11 and is shown to be involved in autophagy [4].

1: Cvt9/Gsa9 functions in sequestering selective cytosolic cargo destined for the vacuole. Kim J, Kamada Y, Stromhaug PE, Guan J, Hefner-Gravink A, Baba M, Scott SV, Ohsumi Y, Dunn WA Jr, Klionsky DJ; J Cell Biol. 2001;153:381-396. PMID:11309418

2: Schizosaccharomyces pombe taf1+ is required for nitrogen starvation-induced sexual development and for entering the dormant GO state. Ueno M, Kurokawa R, Renauld H, Watanabe K, Ushimaru T, Uritani M, Yoshinaga K, Hiraoka Y; Curr Genet. 2001;38:307-313. PMID:11270572

3: Atg1 kinase in fission yeast is activated by Atg11-mediated dimerization and cis-autophosphorylation. Pan ZQ, Shao GC, Liu XM, Chen Q, Dong MQ, Du LL; Elife. 2020; [Epub ahead of print] PMID:32909946

4: Atg11 links cargo to the vesicle-forming machinery in the cytoplasm to vacuole targeting pathway. Yorimitsu T, Klionsky DJ; Mol Biol Cell. 2005;16:1593-1605. PMID:15659643