Enables UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase activity. Involved in chondroitin sulfate biosynthetic process and heparan sulfate proteoglycan biosynthetic process. Acts upstream of or within gastrulation with mouth forming second. Predicted to be located in nucleoplasm. Predicted to be active in cytosol and nucleus. Is expressed in several structures, including alimentary system; brain; integumental system; respiratory system; and sensory organ. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 84. Orthologous to human UGDH (UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]