Dioxygenase that acts as on nucleic acids, such as DNA and tRNA (PubMed:27027282, PubMed:27745969). Requires molecular oxygen, alpha-ketoglutarate and iron (PubMed:27027282). A number of activities have been described for this dioxygenase, but recent results suggest that it mainly acts as on tRNAs and mediates their demethylation or oxidation depending on the context and subcellular compartment (By similarity). Mainly acts as a tRNA demethylase by removing N(1)-methyladenine from various tRNAs, with a preference for N(1)-methyladenine at position 58 (m1A58) present on a stem loop structure of tRNAs (PubMed:27745969). Acts as a regulator of translation initiation and elongation in response to glucose deprivation: regulates both translation initiation, by mediating demethylation of tRNA(Met), and translation elongation, N(1)-methyladenine-containing tRNAs being preferentially recruited to polysomes to promote translation elongation (By similarity). In mitochondrion, specifically interacts with mt-tRNA(Met) and mediates oxidation of mt-tRNA(Met) methylated at cytosine(34) to form 5-formylcytosine (f(5)c) at this position (By similarity). mt-tRNA(Met) containing the f(5)c modification at the wobble position enables recognition of the AUA codon in addition to the AUG codon, expanding codon recognition in mitochondrial translation (By similarity). Specifically demethylates DNA methylated on the 6th position of adenine (N(6)-methyladenosine) DNA (PubMed:27027282). N(6)-methyladenosine (m6A) DNA is present at some L1 elements in embryonic stem cells and probably promotes their silencing (PubMed:27027282). Demethylates mRNAs containing N(3)-methylcytidine modification (By similarity). Also able to repair alkylated single-stranded DNA by oxidative demethylation, but with low activity (By similarity). Also has DNA lyase activity and introduces double-stranded breaks at abasic sites: cleaves both single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA at abasic sites, with the greatest activity towards double-stranded DNA with two abasic sites (By similarity). DNA lyase activity does not require alpha-ketboglutarate and iron and leads to the formation of an irreversible covalent protein-DNA adduct with the 5' DNA product (By similarity). DNA lyase activity is not required during base excision repair and class switch recombination of the immunoglobulin heavy chain during B lymphocyte activation (PubMed:23825659). May play a role in placental trophoblast lineage differentiation (PubMed:18163532). 2-oxoglutarate + an N(6)-methyl-2'-deoxyadenosine in DNA + O2 = a 2'-deoxyadenosine in DNA + CO2 + formaldehyde + succinate 2'-deoxyribonucleotide-(2'-deoxyribose 5'-phosphate)-2'-deoxyribonucleotide-DNA = a 3'-end 2'-deoxyribonucleotide-(2,3-dehydro-2,3-deoxyribose 5'-phosphate)-DNA + a 5'-end 5'-monophospho-2'-deoxyribonucleoside-DNA + H(+) 2-oxoglutarate + a methylated nucleobase within DNA + O2 = a nucleobase within DNA + CO2 + formaldehyde + succinate 2-oxoglutarate + an N(1)-methyladenosine in tRNA + O2 = an adenosine in tRNA + CO2 + formaldehyde + succinate 2 2-oxoglutarate + 5-methylcytidine(34) in mitochondrial tRNA(Met) + 2 O2 = 5-formylcytidine(34) in mitochondrial tRNA(Met) + 2 CO2 + H2O + 2 succinate 2-oxoglutarate + an N(3)-methylcytidine in mRNA + O2 = a cytidine in mRNA + CO2 + formaldehyde + succinate Binds 1 Fe(2+) ion per subunit. Monomer (By similarity). Interacts with DNAJB6 (PubMed:18163532). Mainly localizes in euchromatin, largely excluded from heterochromatin and nucleoli. In adult organs, highly expressed in testis, eye, brain and kidney. Weak expression throughout the embryo at 8.5 dpc. As the cells migrate and differentiate during organogenesis, expressed in the spinal cord, forebrain and branchial arches at 9.5 dpc, and also in limb buds at 10.5 dpc. Peak expression at 11.5 dpc in the frontonasal process including telencephalon, maxillary, mandibular and hyoid arches, upper and lower limb buds and midbrain and rhombomere 1 roof plates. Expression decreases considerably from 11.5 dpc to 12.5 dpc (PubMed:21072209). At 8.5 dpc is highly expressed in the chorion and the ectoplacental cone. At 10.5 dpc is highly expressed in multiple trophoblast lineages (spongiotrophoblasts, giant cell trophoblasts, glycogen cells, and labyrinthine trophoblasts). The highest placental level is at 9.5 dpc and subsequently decreases until parturition (PubMed:18163532). Deficiency results in 80% reduction of the litter size due to embryonic lethality (PubMed:21072209, PubMed:23825659). Surviving pups exhibit a gender bias in favor of males (70% males and 30% females) (PubMed:21072209, PubMed:23825659). Intrauterine growth retardation and placental defects. Altered expression of trophoblast lineage-specific genes (PubMed:18163532). Increased N(6)-methyladenosine (m6A) DNA (PubMed:27027282). No effect on H2AK118 or H2AK119 methylation, suggesting that Alkbh1 does not act as a histone demethylase in vivo (PubMed:27027282). Cells show an strong increase of N(1)-methyladenine-containing tRNAs (PubMed:27745969). H2A histone demethylase activity was observed in vitro (PubMed:22961808). The relevance of such activity is however unclear and additional experimental evidence would be needed to confirm this activity in vivo. The DNA N6-methyl adenine demethylase activity is subject to discussion. While DNA N6-methyl adenine demethylase activity was observed by a report (PubMed:27027282). Another group was unable to detect clear DNA N6-methyl adenine demethylase activity in vivo (PubMed:27745969).