Translation initiation is mediated by specific recognition of the cap structure by eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4F), which is a cap binding protein complex that consists of three subunits: eIF4A, eIF4E and eIF4G. The protein encoded by this gene shares similarity with the C-terminal region of eIF4G that contains the binding sites for eIF4A and eIF3; eIF4G, in addition, contains a binding site for eIF4E at the N-terminus. Unlike eIF4G, which supports cap-dependent and independent translation, this gene product functions as a general repressor of translation by forming translationally inactive complexes. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that translation of this mRNA initiates exclusively at a non-AUG (GUG) codon. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms of this gene have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]