The apoptotic process is accompanied by shrinkage and fragmentation of the cells and nuclei and degradation of the chromosomal DNA into nucleosomal units.

DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) is a heterodimeric protein of 40-kD (DFFB) and 45-kD (DFFA) subunits.

The cleaved fragments of DFFA dissociate from DFFB, the active component of DFF.

DFFB has been found to trigger both DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation during apoptosis.

Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been found for this gene.