Plays a role in pre-mRNA splicing as core component of the SMN-Sm complex that mediates spliceosomal snRNP assembly and as component of the spliceosomal U1, U2, U4 and U5 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), the building blocks of the spliceosome. Component of both the pre-catalytic spliceosome B complex and activated spliceosome C complexes. As a component of the minor spliceosome, involved in the splicing of U12-type introns in pre-mRNAs. As part of the U7 snRNP it is involved in histone 3'-end processing