Involved in retrograde transport from early and late endosomes to late Golgi by linking the vesicle through the t-SNARE TGL1 to the Golgi, leading to the membrane fusion between late Golgi and endosomal vesicles. Component of the Golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complex, also called VFT (VPS fifty-three) complex, composed of VPS51, VPS52, VPS53 and VPS54. Interacts also with TLG1, YPT6 and ARL1. Belongs to the VPS53 family.