This gene encodes a key mitochondrial transcription factor containing two high mobility group motifs. The encoded protein also functions in mitochondrial DNA replication and repair. Sequence polymorphisms in this gene are associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. There are pseudogenes for this gene on chromosomes 6, 7, and 11. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2012].