The protein encoded by this gene functions in a step-wise process of protein degradation through the N-end rule pathway. This protein acts as a tertiary destabilizing enzyme that deamidates N-terminal L-Asn residues on proteins to produce N-terminal L-Asp. L-Asp substrates are subsequently conjugated to L-Arg, which is recognized by specific E3 ubiquitin ligases and targeted to the proteasome. Pseudogenes of this gene are located on the long arms of chromosomes 8, 10 and 12. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants that encode different protein isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2012].