This gene encodes a ribosome recycling factor, which is a component of the mitochondrial translational machinery. The encoded protein, along with mitochondrial elongation factor 2, functions in ribosomal recycling at the termination of mitochondrial translation by mediating the disassembly of ribosomes from messenger RNA. A pseudogene of this gene has been identified on chromosome X. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2016].