This gene encodes a ubiquitin-like-conjugating enzyme and is a component of ubiquitination-like systems involved in autophagy, the process of degradation, turnover and recycling of cytoplasmic constituents in eukaryotic cells. This protein is known to play a role in regulation of autophagy during cell death. A pseudogene of this gene is located on chromosome 20. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms.