The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the class-II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases play critical roles in mRNA translation by charging tRNAs with their cognate amino acids. The encoded protein is a mitochondrial enzyme that specifically aminoacylates alanyl-tRNA. Mutations in this gene are a cause of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency 8. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2011].