Enables mRNA binding activity. Involved in cellular response to interferon-gamma and negative regulation of translation. Acts upstream of or within several processes, including lung morphogenesis; macrophage chemotaxis; and response to lipopolysaccharide. Part of GAIT complex and ribonucleoprotein complex. Orthologous to human RPL13A (ribosomal protein L13a). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]