This gene is a member of the methionyl aminopeptidase family and encodes a protein that binds 2 cobalt or manganese ions. This protein functions both by protecting the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 from inhibitory phosphorylation and by removing the amino-terminal methionine residue from nascent protein. Increased expression of this gene is associated with various forms of cancer and the anti-cancer drugs fumagillin and ovalicin inhibit the protein by irreversibly binding to its active site. A pseudogene of this gene is located on chromosome 2.