Aminopeptidase (PubMed:12930831). Required for the exit from meiosis, probably upstream of cyclin cyb-3 (PubMed:17021038). Involved in the establishment of the anterior-posterior polarity at the embryonic 1-cell stage by regulating the dynamics of sperm-donated centrosomes (PubMed:17021038, PubMed:20599902, PubMed:28065742). Plays a role in oocyte maturation (PubMed:24663498). Required for embryonic development (PubMed:12930831). Release of an N-terminal amino acid, preferentially alanine, from a wide range of peptides, amides and arylamides. Binds 1 zinc ion per subunit. Can also use Ni(2+) and Co(2+) (PubMed:12930831). Inhibited by chelating agent 1,10-phenanthroline, aminopeptidase inhibitors actinonin, amastatin, and leuhistin, and to a lesser extent by puromycin. During meiosis I, localizes to the cell cortex. During meiosis II, localizes to the cytoplasm. During embryonic mitosis, localizes around mitotic chromosomes at metaphase and anaphase and near the spindle poles. In spermatids, excluded from the chromosomes. Expressed mainly in intestinal cells in the posterior part of the intestine and in amphid sensory neurons and nerve ring neurons (PubMed:12930831). Expressed in neurons in the male tail (PubMed:12930831). Expressed in mature spermatids (at protein level) (PubMed:20599902). Expressed in the 1-cell embryos (at protein level) (PubMed:20599902). Expressed during gastrulation and throughout the larval stage and in adults (PubMed:12930831). RNAi-mediated knockdown causes an arrest at the gastrulation stage in 30 percent of embryos (PubMed:12930831). The surviving adults lay a substantial number of unfertilized oocytes (PubMed:12930831). However, brood size is only slightly reduced (PubMed:24663498). In the gonads, the pachytene zone is expanded in 15 percent of animals and oocyte nucleolus disassembly is delayed (PubMed:24663498). Mutant 1-cell embryos have a delay in meiotic exit during which chromosomes fail to decondense after polar body extrusion and oocyte and sperm pronuclear envelope formation is delayed (PubMed:17021038). In addition, 33 percent of 1-cell embryos have impaired chromosome segregation at meiotic anaphase II (PubMed:17021038). During meiotic exit delay, sperm pronucleus/centrosome complex (SPCC) dissociates prematurely from the posterior cortex resulting in a failure to establish anterior-posterior polarity subsequently leading to a symmetric division in half of the 1-cell embryos (PubMed:17021038, PubMed:20599902, PubMed:28065742). Premature microtubule nucleation prior to the sperm pronuclear appearance occurs (PubMed:17021038, PubMed:20599902). Cortical flows, pseudocleavage and asymmetric localization of par-1, par-2, par-3 and par-6 are absent, and cytoplasmic P granules and pie-1 are mislocalized prior to the first mitotic division (PubMed:17021038, PubMed:20599902, PubMed:28065742). In addition, non-muscle myosin nmy-2 foci fails to clear from the posterior part during polarization in half of the 1-cell embryos (PubMed:28065742). Simultaneous RNAi-mediated knockdown of cyclin cyb-3, causes a failure to extrude the second polar body and prevents anaphase entry in some of the 1-cel embryos (PubMed:17021038). Also restores normal timing for meiotic exit but not the establishment of AP axis polarity (PubMed:17021038). Simultaneous RNAi-mediated knockdown of dynein heavy chain dhc-1, restores anterior-posterior polarity, par-1, par2 and par-6 asymmetric localization and pseudocleavage formation (PubMed:20599902). Belongs to the peptidase M1 family.