Its protein and lipid composition are not static but are fine-tuned via bidirectional membrane trafficking. Their focus centered on VAMP727, a SNARE protein unique to plants that orchestrates membrane fusion events specifically involving the vacuole. Feng and colleagues demonstrate that these plant-specific sorting nexins facilitate the retrieval of VAMP727. Subject of Research:Intracellular membrane trafficking and retrograde retrieval mechanisms in plant vacuolar systems, focusing on the neofunctionalization of SNARE proteins and the role of sorting nexins in Arabidopsis. Retrieval from vacuolar and endosomal compartments underpinning the neofunctionalization of SNARE in plants.