The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the evolutionarily conserved DNAJ/HSP40 family of proteins, which regulate molecular chaperone activity by stimulating ATPase activity. DNAJ proteins may have up to 3 distinct domains: a conserved 70-amino acid J domain, usually at the N terminus; a glycine/phenylalanine (G/F)-rich region; and a cysteine-rich domain containing 4 motifs resembling a zinc finger domain. The product of this gene works as a cochaperone of Hsp70s in protein folding and mitochondrial protein import in vitro.