Part of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein complex (EMC) that enables the energy-independent insertion into endoplasmic reticulum membranes of newly synthesized membrane proteins (  ). Preferentially accommodates proteins with transmembrane domains that are weakly hydrophobic or contain destabilizing features such as charged and aromatic residues ( ). Involved in the cotranslational insertion of multi-pass membrane proteins in which stop-transfer membrane-anchor sequences become ER membrane spanning helices (, ). It is also required for the post-translational insertion of tail-anchored/TA proteins in endoplasmic reticulum membranes (, ). By mediating the proper cotranslational insertion of N-terminal transmembrane domains in an N-exo topology, with translocated N-terminus in the lumen of the ER, controls the topology of multi-pass membrane proteins like the G protein-coupled receptors . By regulating the insertion of various proteins in membranes, it is indirectly involved in many cellular processes (Probable).
Subcellular locations: Endoplasmic reticulum membrane
Could also be a single-pass transmembrane protein with cytosolic N-terminus and lumenal C-terminus.
Isoform 1 is expressed in brain and heart. Isoform 2 is expressed in heart.