Description
This gene encodes an endonuclease that specifically degrades the RNA of RNA-DNA hybrids and plays a key role in DNA replication and repair. Alternate in-frame start codon initiation results in the production of alternate isoforms that are directed to the mitochondria or to the nucleus. The production of the mitochondrial isoform is modulated by an upstream open reading frame (uORF). Mutations in this gene have been found in individuals with progressive external ophthalmoplegia with mitochondrial DNA deletions, autosomal recessive 2. Alternative splicing results in additional coding and non-coding transcript variants. Pseudogenes of this gene have been defined on chromosomes 2 and 17.