The product of this gene is a component of the
centrosome, a non-membraneous organelle that functions as the major
microtubule organizing center in animal cells. During
interphase, the encoded protein localizes to the sub-distal appendages of mature
centrioles, which are
microtubule-based structures thought to help organize
centrosomes. During
mitosis, the protein associates with spindle microtubules near the centrosomes. The protein interacts with the intraflagellar transport protein 81 (
IFT81), the SH3-domain containing protein PRAX-1, and is phosphorylated by cyclin dependent kinase 1 (
Cdk1) and polo-like kinase 1 (
PLK1), and functions in maintaining microtubule organization, cell morphology and
cilium stability. The human genome contains a putative transcribed pseudogene. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene have been found, but the full-length nature of some of these variants has not been determined. ==References==