The protein encoded by this gene appears to be multifunctional. Along with PCBP-1 and hnRNPK， it is one of the major cellular poly(rC)-binding proteins. The encoded protein contains three K-homologous (KH) domains which may be involved in RNA binding. Together with PCBP-1， this protein also functions as a translational coactivator of poliovirus RNA via a sequence-specific interaction with stem-loop IV of the IRES， promoting poliovirus RNA replication by binding to its 5’-terminal cloverleaf structure. It has also been implicated in translational control of the 15-lipoxygenase mRNA， human papillomavirus type 16 L2 mRNA， and hepatitis A virus RNA. The encoded protein is also suggested to play a part in formation of a sequence-specific alpha-globin mRNP complex which is associated with alpha-globin mRNA stability. This multiexon structural mRNA is thought to be retrotransposed to generate PCBP-1， an intronless gene with functions similar to that of PCBP2. This gene and PCBP-1 have paralogous genes