The function of VPS33A (VPS33A core subunit of CORVET and HOPS complexes, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000139719) is as follows. Plays a role in vesicle-mediated protein trafficking to lysosomal compartments including the endocytic membrane transport and autophagic pathways. Believed to act as a core component of the putative HOPS and CORVET endosomal tethering complexes which are proposed to be involved in the Rab5-to-Rab7 endosome conversion probably implicating MON1A/B, and via binding SNAREs and SNARE complexes to mediate tethering and docking events during SNARE-mediated membrane fusion. The HOPS complex is proposed to be recruited to Rab7 on the late endosomal membrane and to regulate late endocytic, phagocytic and autophagic traffic towards lysosomes. The CORVET complex is proposed to function as a Rab5 effector to mediate early endosome fusion probably in specific endosome subpopulations (PubMed:23351085, PubMed:24554770, PubMed:25266290, PubMed:25783203). Required for fusion of endosomes and autophagosomes with lysosomes; the function is dependent on its association with VPS16 but not VIPAS39 (PubMed:25783203). The function in autophagosome-lysosome fusion implicates STX17 but not UVRAG (PubMed:24554770). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:24554770, ECO:0000269|PubMed:25783203, ECO:0000305|PubMed:23351085, ECO:0000305|PubMed:25266290, ECO:0000305|PubMed:25783203}.