Component of the 39S subunit of mitochondrial ribosome (PubMed:23315540). May have a function in the assembly/stability of nascent mitochondrial polypeptides exiting the ribosome (PubMed:23315540). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q9CY73, ECO:0000269|PubMed:23315540}. This is the function of MRPL44 (mitochondrial ribosomal protein L44, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000135900).