以保守基序asp-glu-ala-asp（dead）为特征的死亡盒蛋白是假定的RNA螺旋酶。与许多涉及RNA二级结构改变的细胞过程有关，如翻译起始、核和线粒体剪接、核糖体和剪接体组装。根据它们的分布模式，死亡盒蛋白家族的一些成员被认为与胚胎发生、精子发生、细胞生长和分裂有关。这个基因编码这个家族的一个成员。尚未确定此成员的功能。根据对果蝇的研究，在转录后基因表达中，Abstrakt基因被广泛需要。
DEAD box proteins, characterized by the conserved motif Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD), are putative RNA helicases. They are implicated in a number of cellular processes involving alteration of RNA secondary structure, such as translation initiation, nuclear and mitochondrial splicing, and ribosome and spliceosome assembly. Based on their distribution patterns, some members of the DEAD box protein family are believed to be involved in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and cellular growth and division. This gene encodes a member of this family. The function of this member has not been determined. Based on studies in Drosophila, the abstrakt gene is widely required during post-transcriptional gene expression.