Functions in the early steps of protein synthesis of a small number of specific mRNAs, Acts by directing the binding of methionyl-tRNAi to 40S ribosomal subunits, In contrast to the eIF-2 complex, it binds methionyl-tRNAi to 40S subunits in a codon-dependent manner, whereas the eIF-2 complex binds methionyl-tRNAi to 40S subunits in a GTP-dependent manner.
