 This protein degrades the outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of E. coli as well as the virulence factors of such bacteria as Shigella, Salmonella and Yersinia.Mutations in this gene are associated with cyclic neutropenia (CyN) and severe congenital neutropenia (SCN).This gene is clustered with other serine protease gene family members, azurocidin 1 and proteinase 3 genes, at chromosome 19pter.