這個基因編碼MAP激酶家族的一個成員。MAP激酶又稱細胞外信號調節激酶（ERK），是多種生化信號的整合點，參與多種細胞過程，如增殖、分化、轉錄調控和發育。這種激酶的激活需要上游激酶的磷酸化。激活后，這種激酶轉移到受刺激細胞的細胞核，在那里磷酸化核靶。一項研究還表明，這種蛋白作為一種轉錄抑制因子獨立于其激酶活性。編碼蛋白被鑒定為一種月光蛋白，基于其執行機械上不同功能的能力。兩個選擇性剪接的轉錄變異體編碼相同的蛋白質，但不同的UTR，已報告這個基因。
This gene encodes a member of the MAP kinase family. MAP kinases, also known as extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), act as an integration point for multiple biochemical signals, and are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, transcription regulation and development. The activation of this kinase requires its phosphorylation by upstream kinases. Upon activation, this kinase translocates to the nucleus of the stimulated cells, where it phosphorylates nuclear targets. One study also suggests that this protein acts as a transcriptional repressor independent of its kinase activity. The encoded protein has been identified as a moonlighting protein based on its ability to perform mechanistically distinct functions. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein, but differing in the UTRs, have been reported for this gene.