This family of fungal proteins form a subunit of RNase P, the ribonucleoprotein enzyme that cleaves the leader sequence of precursor tRNAs to generate mature tRNAs. The structure of Pop3 has been assigned the L7Ae/L30e fold [1]. This RNA-binding fold is also present in human RNase P subunit Rpp38, raising the possibility that Pop3p and Rpp38 are functional homologs.

1: 3D models of yeast RNase P/MRP proteins Rpp1p and Pop3p. Dlakic M; RNA 2005;11:123-127. PMID:15613537