Component of the 17S U2 SnRNP complex of the spliceosome, a large ribonucleoprotein complex that removes introns from transcribed pre-mRNAs (PubMed:10882114, PubMed:11533230, PubMed:32494006, PubMed:34822310). The 17S U2 SnRNP complex (1) directly participates in early spliceosome assembly and (2) mediates recognition of the intron branch site during pre-mRNA splicing by promoting the selection of the pre-mRNA branch-site adenosine, the nucleophile for the first step of splicing (PubMed:10882114, PubMed:11533230, PubMed:32494006, PubMed:34822310). Within the 17S U2 SnRNP complex, SF3A2 is part of the SF3A subcomplex that contributes to the assembly of the 17S U2 snRNP, and the subsequent assembly of the pre-spliceosome 'E' complex and the pre-catalytic spliceosome 'A' complex (PubMed:10882114, PubMed:11533230). Involved in pre-mRNA splicing as a component of pre- catalytic spliceosome 'B' complexes, including the Bact complex (PubMed:29360106, PubMed:29361316, PubMed:30315277). Interacts directly with the duplex formed by U2 snRNA and the intron (PubMed:29360106). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:10882114, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11533230, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29360106, ECO:0000269|PubMed:29361316, ECO:0000269|PubMed:30315277, ECO:0000269|PubMed:32494006, ECO:0000269|PubMed:34822310}. This is the function of SF3A2 (splicing factor 3a subunit 2, ENSG00000104897).