Endonuclease that cleaves polypeptidyl-tRNAs downstream of the ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) pathway to release incompletely synthesized polypeptides for degradation ( ). The RQC pathway disassembles aberrantly stalled translation complexes to recycle or degrade the constituent parts ( ). ANKZF1 acts downstream disassembly of stalled ribosomes and specifically cleaves off the terminal 3'-CCA nucleotides universal to all tRNAs from polypeptidyl-tRNAs, releasing (1) ubiquitinated polypeptides from 60S ribosomal subunit for degradation and (2) cleaved tRNAs . ANKZF1-cleaved tRNAs are then repaired and recycled by ELAC1 and TRNT1 (, ). Also plays a role in the cellular response to hydrogen peroxide and in the maintenance of mitochondrial integrity under conditions of cellular stress .
Subcellular locations: Cytoplasm
Translocates to the mitochondria upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide.