SPATA13 acts as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for RHOA, RAC1 and CDC42. Through this activity it regulates cell migration and the assembly and disassembly of adhesions, using a mechanism that depends on RAC1, PI3K, RHOA and AKT1. It increases both RAC1 and CDC42 activity, but decreases the amount of active RHOA. The protein is also reported to bind to itself, consistent with the identical protein binding activity recorded for it.

The SPATA13 protein localises to the cytoplasm and to several actin-rich cell projections, including filopodia, lamellipodia, ruffle membranes and podosomes. This distribution fits its role in cell projection assembly and in the regulation of cell migration. The SPATA13 gene belongs to several HGNC groups: pleckstrin homology domain containing, Dbl family Rho GEFs, SH3 domain containing, and microRNA protein coding host genes.

SPATA13 has also been studied in a cancer context. It is required for MMP9 up-regulation through the JNK signalling pathway in colorectal tumour cells. It is involved in tumour angiogenesis and may play a role in intestinal adenoma formation and tumour progression. The gene has also been listed as ASEF2, ARHGEF29 and FLJ31208, so researchers searching the literature may find it under any of these names. The mouse ortholog is Spata13.