This gene encodes a nonsarcomeric myosin regulatory light chain. This protein is activated by phosphorylation and regulates smooth muscle and non-muscle cell contraction. This protein may also be involved in DNA damage repair by sequestering the transcriptional regulator apoptosis-antagonizing transcription factor (AATF)/Che-1 which functions as a repressor of p53-driven apoptosis. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants. A pseudogene of this gene is found on chromosome 8.[provided by RefSeq, Dec 2014].