Enables hemoglobin alpha binding activity and hemoglobin beta binding activity. Contributes to oxygen binding activity. Involved in glutathione metabolic process and oxygen transport. Part of hemoglobin complex. Biomarker of anemia. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in acute chest syndrome; hemolytic anemia (multiple); malaria; polycythemia (multiple); and sickle cell anemia. Orthologous to several human genes including HBB (hemoglobin subunit beta). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]