The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the 7 transmembrane-spanning G protein-coupled receptor family, and functions as a receptor for the endogenous, opioid-related neuropeptide, nociceptin/orphanin FQ. This receptor-ligand system modulates a variety of biological functions and neurobehavior, including stress responses and anxiety behavior, learning and memory, locomotor activity, and inflammatory and immune responses. A promoter region between this gene and the 5′-adjacent RGS19 (regulator of G-protein signaling 19) gene on the opposite strand functions bi-directionally as a core-promoter for both genes, suggesting co-operative transcriptional regulation of these two functionally related genes. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described for this gene. A recent study provided evidence for translational readthrough in this gene, and expression of an additional C-terminally extended isoform via the use of an alternative in-frame translation termination codon.