Rat Alpha-crystallin A chain,CRYAA ELI

Contributes to the transparency and refractive index of the lens (By similarity).

Acts as a chaperone, preventing aggregation of various proteins under a wide range of stress conditions (By similarity).

Required for the correct formation of lens intermediate filaments as part of a complex composed of BFSP1, BFSP2 and CRYAA (By similarity).

C-terminal truncated forms alpha-crystallin A(1-162), alpha-crystallin A(1-157) and alpha-crystallin A(1-151) have lower chaperone activity (PubMed:12118077).

{ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P02489, ECO:0000269|PubMed:12118077}.; [Isoform 1]: Inhibits bacterial growth in the lens.

{ECO:0000269|PubMed:8875649}.