Background:
This gene encodes a member of the kinesin family of microtubule-based motor proteins that function in the positioning of endosomes. This family member can direct mannose-6-phosphate receptor-containing vesicles from the trans-Golgi network to the plasma membrane, and it is necessary for the steady-state distribution of late endosomes/lysosomes. It is also required for the translocation of FYVE-CENT and TTC19 from the centrosome to the midbody during cytokinesis, and it plays a role in melanosome maturation. Alternative splicing of this gene results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2011]