epg-6 encodes a WD40 repeat-containing protein that is related to the mammalian WIPI3/4 family of proteins (WD40 repeat protein interacting with phosphoinositides); in C. elegans, epg-6 activity is required for autophagic processes, specifically for the formation of autophagosomes from omegasomes (PtdIns(3)P-enriched endoplasmic reticulum subdomains) and for proper distribution of the autophagic proteins ATG-9 and EPG-1; EPG-6 binds ATG-2 in vitro and in vivo and also binds, in vitro, PtdIns(3)P and PtdIns(5)P and weakly binds PtdIns(4)P and PtdIns(3,5)P2; an EGP-6::GFP reporter fusion protein is widely expressed during embryonic and post-embryonic development, and localizes diffusely to the cytoplasm.
Enables phosphatidylinositol phosphate binding activity. Involved in autophagosome assembly. Located in cytoplasm. Expressed widely. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation 5. Is an ortholog of human WDR45 (WD repeat domain 45).
Map position created from combination of previous interpolated map position (based on known location of sequence) and allele information. Therefore this is not a genetic map position based on recombination frequencies or genetic experiments. This was done on advice of the CGC.