Predicted to enable metal ion binding activity and metalloendopeptidase activity. Predicted to be involved in protein processing involved in protein targeting to mitochondrion. Predicted to act upstream of or within proteolysis. Predicted to be active in mitochondrion. Is expressed in several structures, including alar plate midbrain region; anterior neural keel; head; immature eye; and optic tectum. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia 2. Orthologous to human PMPCA (peptidase, mitochondrial processing subunit alpha).