Chaperone protein which promotes assembly of the 20S proteasome as part of a heterodimer with PSMG2. The PSMG1-PSMG2 heterodimer binds to the PSMA5 and PSMA7 proteasome subunits, promotes assembly of the proteasome alpha subunits into the heteroheptameric alpha ring and prevents alpha ring dimerization (By similarity).
Subcellular locations: Cytoplasm, Endoplasmic reticulum