DEAD box proteins, characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD), are putative RNA helicases. They are implicated in a number of cellular processes involving alteration of RNA secondary structure, such as translation initiation, nuclear and mitochondrial splicing, and ribosome and spliceosome assembly. Based on their distribution patterns, some members of the DEAD box protein family are believed to be involved in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and cellular growth and division. This gene is intronless. It encodes an RNA-dependent ATPase. The encoded protein is localized in the mitochondria and the nucleus, and can be transported between the mitochondria and the nucleus. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].