Protein that acts both as a host restriction factor involved in defense response to virus and as a regulator of DNA end resection at stalled replication forks. Has deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTPase) activity, which is required to restrict infection by viruses: dNTPase activity reduces cellular dNTP levels to levels too low for retroviral reverse transcription to occur, blocking early-stage virus replication in dendritic and other myeloid cells. Likewise, suppresses LINE-1 retrotransposon activity. In addition to virus restriction, dNTPase activity acts as a regulator of DNA precursor pools by regulating dNTP pools. Phosphorylation at Thr-634 acts as a switch to control dNTPase-dependent and -independent functions: it inhibits dNTPase activity and ability to restrict infection by viruses, while it promotes DNA end resection at stalled replication forks. Functions during S phase at stalled DNA replication forks to promote the resection of gapped or reversed forks: acts by stimulating the exonuclease activity of MRE11, activating the ATR-CHK1 pathway and allowing the forks to restart replication. Its ability to promote degradation of nascent DNA at stalled replication forks is required to prevent induction of type I interferons, thereby preventing chronic inflammation. Ability to promote DNA end resection at stalled replication forks is independent of dNTPase activity. Enhances immunoglobulin hypermutation in B-lymphocytes by promoting transversion mutation.
