Required for normal cell proliferation and chromosome stability. Plays a role in DNA repair during replication. ATP + H2O = ADP + H(+) + phosphate Uncoordinated and sterile with cell proliferation defects in germ and somatic cells. Hermaphrodite gonads have fewer cells with 13% of homozygotes having only one gonad arm. Most hermaphrodite mutants contain sperm but only 20% contain oocytes that develop as far as diakinesis and those that develop exhibit abnormal karyotypes. Mutant adults contain significantly fewer D neurons and seam cells than wild type. No poly-guanine tract deletions but double mutants of chl-1 and dog-1 display increased deletion frequency when compared to dog-1 mutants. Belongs to the DEAD box helicase family. DEAH subfamily. DDX11/CHL1 sub-subfamily.