The protein encoded by this gene was identified by its strong similarity with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc45, an essential protein required to the initiation of DNA replication. Cdc45 is a member of the highly conserved multiprotein complex including Cdc6/Cdc18, the minichromosome maintenance proteins (MCMs) and DNA polymerase, which is important for early steps of DNA replication in eukaryotes. This protein has been shown to interact with MCM7 and DNA polymerase alpha. Studies of the similar gene in Xenopus suggested that this protein play a pivotal role in the loading of DNA polymerase alpha onto chromatin. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants.