Automated description from the Alliance of Genome Resources (Release 7.0.0)
Enables peptide antigen binding activity. Involved in response to type II interferon. Acts upstream of or within antigen processing and presentation of exogenous peptide antigen via MHC class II and positive regulation of T cell differentiation. Located in external side of plasma membrane and lysosome. Part of MHC class II protein complex. Is expressed in central nervous system; retina; and thymus primordium. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in several diseases, including autoimmune disease (multiple); gastrointestinal system cancer (multiple); glomerulonephritis (multiple); hematologic cancer (multiple); and systemic scleroderma (multiple). Orthologous to human HLA-DQA1 (major histocompatibility complex, class II, DQ alpha 1) and HLA-DQA2 (major histocompatibility complex, class II, DQ alpha 2).