The product of this gene belongs to the peptidase C56 family of proteins. It acts as a positive regulator of androgen receptor-dependent transcription. It may also function as a redox-sensitive chaperone, as a sensor for oxidative stress, and it apparently protects neurons against oxidative stress and cell death. Defects in this gene are the cause of autosomal recessive early-onset Parkinson disease 7. Two transcript variants encoding the same protein have been identified for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].