Required for initiation of meiotic chromosome synapsis. Involved in synaptonemal complex formation, a structure that tethers a pair of homologous chromosomes along their lengths and plays a central role in recombination and homolog segregation during meiosis (By similarity). localizes to a meiosis specific chromosomal structure called the synaptonemal complex (SC) formed during meiotic prophase. Belongs to the ZIP2 family.