This gene encodes a member of the peptidyl arginine deiminase family of enzymes, which catalyze the post-translational deimination of proteins by converting arginine residues into citrullines in the presence of calcium ions. The family members have distinct substrate specificities and tissue-specific expression patterns. This protein may play a role in cytoskeletal reorganization in the egg and in early embryo development. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2012]