The protein encoded by this gene belongs to a family of ankyrin repeat proteins that, along with four other protein families, contains a C-terminal SOCS box motif. Growing evidence suggests that the SOCS box acts as a bridge between specific substrate-binding domains and the more generic proteins that comprise a large family of E3 ubiquitin protein ligases. In this way, SOCS box containing proteins may regulate protein turnover by targeting proteins for polyubiquination and, therefore, for proteasome-mediated degradation. Two alternative transcripts encoding different isoforms have been described.