The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the peptidase C19 family, which includes ubiquitinyl hydrolases. This protein deubiquitinates target proteins such as p53 (a tumor suppressor protein) and WASH (essential for endosomal protein recycling), and regulates their activities by counteracting the opposing ubiquitin ligase activity of proteins such as HDM2 and TRIM27, involved in the respective process. Mutations in this gene have been implicated in a neurodevelopmental disorder.