Component of the ESCRT-II complex (endosomal sorting complex required for transport II), which is required for multivesicular body (MVB) formation and sorting of endosomal cargo proteins into MVBs. The MVB pathway mediates delivery of transmembrane proteins into the lumen of the lysosome for degradation. The ESCRT-II complex is probably involved in the recruitment of the ESCRT-III complex. Its ability to bind ubiquitin probably plays a role in endosomal sorting of ubiquitinated cargo proteins by ESCRT complexes. The ESCRT-II complex may also play a role in transcription regulation, possibly via its interaction with ELL. Binds phosphoinosides such as PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. This is the function of VPS36 (vacuolar protein sorting 36 homolog, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000136100).