The protein is truncated in this vaccinal strain and presumably inactive, because the lack of signal peptide prevents the protein of being secreted. In the wild-type viruses inhibits host immune defense by binding to host chemokines. Binds host CC chemokines (beta chemokines) such as RANTES with high affinity, but not CXC or C chemokines (alpha and gamma chemokines). the wild-type protein is secreted, but this strain encodes a truncated form which lacks the signal peptide. Belongs to the poxviridae chemokine-binding protein family.