This gene encodes a protein that belongs to the centromere protein family. During cell division, this protein plays a structural role in the maintenance of centrosome integrity and normal spindle morphology, and it is involved in microtubule disassembly at the centrosome. This protein can function as a transcriptional coactivator in the Stat5 signaling pathway, and also as a coactivator of NF-kappaB-mediated transcription, likely via its interaction with the coactivator p300/CREB-binding protein. Mutations in this gene are associated with primary autosomal recessive microcephaly, a disorder characterized by severely reduced brain size and mental retardation. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2012]