This family is nearly universally conserved in bacteria and plants except the Chlorophyceae algae. Thus far, mutantional analysis in bacteria have not established a function. In contrast, mutants have embryo lethal phenotypes in maize and Arabidopsis. In maize, the mutant embryos arrest at an early transition stage.It has been suggested that family members specifically affect 23S rRNA accumulation in plastids as well as bacteria [1].

1: Essential role of conserved DUF177A protein in plastid 23S rRNA accumulation and plant embryogenesis. Yang J, Suzuki M, McCarty DR; J Exp Bot. 2016;67:5447-5460. PMID:27574185