Plays an important role in the maintenance of the Golgi complex, in membrane trafficking, in exocytosis, through its interaction with myosin VI and Rab8 (PubMed:27534431). Links myosin VI to the Golgi complex and plays an important role in Golgi ribbon formation (PubMed:27534431). Plays a role in the activation of innate immune response during viral infection. Mechanistically, recruits TBK1 at the Golgi apparatus, promoting its trans-phosphorylation after RLR or TLR3 stimulation (PubMed:27538435). In turn, activated TBK1 phosphorylates its downstream partner IRF3 to produce IFN-beta. Plays a neuroprotective role in the eye and optic nerve. May act by regulating membrane trafficking and cellular morphogenesis via a complex that contains Rab8 and hungtingtin (HD). Mediates the interaction of Rab8 with the probable GTPase-activating protein TBC1D17 during Rab8-mediated endocytic trafficking, such as of transferrin receptor (TFRC/TfR); regulates Rab8 recruitment to tubules emanating from the endocytic recycling compartment. Autophagy receptor that interacts directly with both the cargo to become degraded and an autophagy modifier of the MAP1 LC3 family; targets ubiquitin-coated bacteria (xenophagy), such as cytoplasmic Salmonella enterica, and appears to function in the same pathway as SQSTM1 and CALCOCO2/NDP52.

(Microbial infection) May constitute a cellular target for adenovirus E3 14.7 and Bluetongue virus protein NS3 to inhibit innate immune response.