Plays an important role in autophagy and in particular starvation- and calcium-mediated autophagy, as well as in mitophagy. Functions upstream of the ATG12-ATG5-ATG16L1 complex and LC3, and downstream of the ULK1 and PI3-kinase complexes. Involved in xenophagy of Staphylococcus aureus. Invading S.aureus cells become entrapped in autophagosome-like WIPI1 positive vesicles targeted for lysosomal degradation. Plays also a distinct role in controlling the transcription of melanogenic enzymes and melanosome maturation, a process that is distinct from starvation- induced autophagy. May also regulate the trafficking of proteins involved in the mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR) recycling pathway.
