This gene encodes a member of the F-box protein familywhich is characterized by an approximately 40 amino acid motif, theF-box. The F-box proteins constitute one of the four subunits ofubiquitin protein ligase complex called SCFs (SKP1-cullin-F-box),which function in phosphorylation-dependent ubiquitination. TheF-box proteins are divided into 3 classes: Fbws containing WD-40domains, Fbls containing leucine-rich repeats, and Fbxs containingeither different protein-protein interaction modules or norecognizable motifs. The protein encoded by this gene belongs tothe Fbxs class. It can function as an arginine methyltransferasethat symmetrically dimethylates arginine residues, and it acts asan adaptor protein to mediate the neddylation of p53, which leadsto the suppression of p53 function. This gene is known to bedown-regulated in melanocytes from patients with vitiligo, a skindisorder that results in depigmentation. Polymorphisms in this geneare associated with chronic otitis media with effusion andrecurrent otitis media (COME/ROM), a hearing loss disorder, and theknockout of the homologous mouse gene results in the deaf mousemutant Jeff (Jf), a single gene model of otitis media.Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinctisoforms have been identified for this gene. [provided by RefSeq,Jun 2010].