This gene encodes a critical tumor suppressor protein that features transcriptional activation, DNA binding, and oligomerization domains. The protein responds to various cellular stresses by regulating target genes, which in turn induces processes such as cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, senescence, DNA repair, or metabolic changes. Mutations in this gene are linked to numerous human cancers, including hereditary conditions like Li-Fraumeni syndrome. The gene produces multiple transcript variants and isoforms through alternative splicing and the use of different promoters and translation initiation codons.