Dsl1 is a peripheral membrane protein required for transport between the Golgi and the endoplasmic reticulum [1]. It is localised to the ER membrane, and in vitro it specifically binds to coatomer, the major component of the protein coat of COPI vesicles [2]. It is comprised primarily of alpha helical bundles [1]. It complexes with another subunit of the Dsl1p complex called Tip20 which forms heterodimers by pairing the N termini of each protein [1]. A central disorganised region between the N and C termini of Dsl1 contains binding sites for coatomer [1]. The C terminus of Dsl1 contains a binding site to the Sec39 subunit of the Dsl1p complex [1].

1: Structural characterization of Tip20p and Dsl1p, subunits of the Dsl1p vesicle tethering complex. Tripathi A, Ren Y, Jeffrey PD, Hughson FM; Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2009;16:114-123. PMID:19151722

2: The coatomer-interacting protein Dsl1p is required for Golgi-to-endoplasmic reticulum retrieval in yeast. Andag U, Neumann T, Schmitt HD; J Biol Chem 2001;276:39150-39160. PMID:11493604