Vacuoles are multiple functional and essential organelles in plants. Studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae had identified a tethering factor HOPS (Homotypic Fusion and Vacuolar Protein Sorting) complex that plays a critical role in vacuole biogenesis. The HOPS complex consists of four core subunits (Vpsll, Vps16, Vps18 and Vps33) and two special subunits (Vps39 and Vps41). All these subunits were found in Arabidopsis, and our knowledge of the function of Arabidopsis HOPS complex are still limited. In this study, we investigated the function of AtVps11 gene in Arabidopsis, we found that vps11/-lead to embryo lethal, vacuole biogenesis in embryo was impaired. Furthermore, pollen tube growth was arrested by vpsll mutation, however, no obvious vacuole biogenesis defects were found in vpsll pollen tube. Our study indicated that in Arabidopsis, Vpsll is required for vacuole biogenesis in embryo, which is essential for embryogenesis. It also plays a role in pollen tube growth but looks not required for vacuole biogenesis in pollen tube. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.