Recruited co-dependently with zhp-4 to the synaptonemal complex between homologous chromosome pairs to regulate the formation and number of crossover events between homologs during meiotic recombination (PubMed:15340062, PubMed:18949042, PubMed:29521627, PubMed:30379819). In the early stages of pachytene, in complex with zhp-4, recruited by the zhp-1-zhp-2 heterodimer to designated crossover sites along the homolog pair to stabilize other pro-crossover factors such as rmh-1, msh-5 and cosa-1 (PubMed:29521627, PubMed:30379819). This in turn facilitates crossover and promotes the formation of chiasma in each meiotic nucleus at the late pachytene stage of meiosis (PubMed:29521627, PubMed:30379819). Plays a role in the segregation of homologous chromosomes following the completion of crossovers (PubMed:18949042). Together with him-14 and msh-5 plays a role in the activation of DNA damage-dependent apoptosis at the DNA damage checkpoint in pachytene cells (PubMed:23832114). Interacts with zhp-4; the interaction is required for their localization along paired chromosomes and stability, and for the formation of chiasma during meiotic recombination. Co-localizes with zhp-4 to chromosomes from mitosis to early diakinesis in the germline (PubMed:29521627, PubMed:30379819). Co-localizes with syp-1, a component of the synaptonemal complex, throughout the gonad from early prophase to mid-pachytene (PubMed:15340062, PubMed:18949042, PubMed:29521627, PubMed:30379819). In early pachytene, co-localizes with syp-1 as puncta along chromosomes (PubMed:18949042). In pachytene nuclei, localizes in linear arrays in the space in between synapsed chromosomes (PubMed:15340062). Does not localize to unsynapsed chromosomes (PubMed:18949042). From mid-pachytene, co-localizes with cosa-1 at crossover sites of recombination intermediates, and gradually disassociates from syp-1 along both chromosome arms (PubMed:15340062, PubMed:18949042, PubMed:29521627, PubMed:30379819). Co-localizes with brc-1 at crossover sites in mid-late pachytene nuclei (PubMed:30383754). At late pachytene, localizes asymmetrically on synapsed chromosomes (PubMed:18949042). At late pachytene and early diplotene localizes to a single focus at the boundary between the long and short arm of each pair of homologous chromosomes (PubMed:18949042). At late pachytene, localization at chromosomes is not dependent on syp-1 (PubMed:18949042, PubMed:29521627). In diakinesis, does not localize to chromosomes, but is dispersed between chromosomes (PubMed:15340062). Expressed througout the gonad (at protein level) (PubMed:18949042). Expressed in the germline (PubMed:15340062, PubMed:29521627). High levels of embryonic lethality, but a small proportion of the surviving progeny develop beyond the L3 larval stage (PubMed:15340062, PubMed:18949042, PubMed:29521627). Of the surviving progeny, there is a high incidence of males (him phenotype) (PubMed:18949042, PubMed:29521627). Impaired meiotic recombination with no chiasma formation between homologous chromosome pairs at diplotene and diakinesis (PubMed:15340062). This is most likely due to an absence of crossover recombination (PubMed:15340062). Disrupted rad-51 localization during meiosis, whereby rad-51-positive foci are present in the gonad similarly to wild-type, however unlike in wild-type, they disappear before the end of pachytene (PubMed:15340062).