E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase that plays a key role in the ribosome quality control (RQC), a pathway that takes place when a ribosome has stalled during translation, leading to degradation of nascent peptide chains (PubMed:28065601, PubMed:28132843, PubMed:28685749, PubMed:32099016, PubMed:32579943, PubMed:33581075). ZNF598 is activated when ribosomes are stalled within an mRNA following translation of prematurely polyadenylated mRNAs (PubMed:28065601, PubMed:28132843, PubMed:28685749). Acts as a ribosome collision sensor: specifically recognizes and binds collided di-ribosome, which arises when a trailing ribosome encounters a slower leading ribosome, leading to terminally arrest translation (PubMed:28065601, PubMed:28132843, PubMed:28685749, PubMed:30293783). Following binding to colliding ribosomes, mediates monoubiquitination of 40S ribosomal proteins RPS10/eS10 and RPS3/uS3, and 'Lys-63'-linked polyubiquitination of RPS20/uS10 (PubMed:28065601, PubMed:28132843, PubMed:28685749). Polyubiquitination of RPS20/uS10 promotes recruitment of the RQT (ribosome quality control trigger) complex, which drives the disassembly of stalled ribosomes, followed by degradation of nascent peptides (PubMed:32099016, PubMed:32579943, PubMed:36302773). E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase activity is dependent on the E2 ubiquitin- conjugating enzyme UBE2D3 (PubMed:28685749). Also acts as an adapter that recruits the 4EHP-GYF2 complex to mRNAs (PubMed:22751931, PubMed:32726578). Independently of its role in RQC, may also act as a negative regulator of interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression (PubMed:29719242). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:22751931, ECO:0000269|PubMed:28065601, ECO:0000269|PubMed:28132843, ECO:0000269|PubMed:28685749, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29719242, ECO:0000269|PubMed:30293783, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32099016, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32579943, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32726578, ECO:0000269|PubMed:33581075, ECO:0000269|PubMed:36302773}. (Microbial infection) Required for poxvirus protein synthesis by mediating ubiquitination of RPS10/eS10 and RPS20/uS10 (PubMed:29719242). Poxvirus encoding mRNAs contain unusual 5' poly(A) leaders and ZNF598 is required for their translational efficiency, possibly via its ability to suppress readthrough or sliding on shorter poly(A) tracts (PubMed:29719242). . (Microbial infection) Acts as a positive regulator of HIV-1 Tat stability independently of its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, and reduces the 'Lys-48'-linked ubiquitination and prevents the proteasomal degradation of Tat. In turn, promotes HIV-1 replication and latent reactivation. . This is the function of ZNF598 (zinc finger protein 598, E3 ubiquitin ligase, ENSG00000167962).