The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the ARF family of GTP-binding proteins. With its distinctive nuclear/nucleolar localization and interaction with HP1alpha, the protein is developmentally regulated and may play a role(s) in nuclear dynamics and/or signaling cascades during embryonic development. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. This gene has multiple pseudogenes. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].