Encodes a member of the SPA (suppressor of phyA-105) protein family (SPA1-SPA4). SPA proteins contain an N-terminal serine/threonine kinase-like motif followed by a coiled-coil structure and a C-terminal WD-repeat domain. SPA proteins function redundantly in suppressing photomorphogenesis in dark- and light-grown seedlings. SPA3 (and SPA4) predominantly regulates elongation growth in adult plants.