This gene encodes a member of the DNA2/NAM7 helicase family. The encoded protein is a conserved helicase/nuclease involved in the maintenance of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA stability. Mutations in this gene are associated with autosomal dominant progressive external ophthalmoplegia-6 (PEOA6) and Seckel syndrome 8. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2014].