Functions in the early steps of protein synthesis of a small number of specific mRNAs. Acts by directing the binding of methionyl- tRNAi to 40S ribosomal subunits. In contrast to the eIF-2 complex, it binds methionyl-tRNAi to 40S subunits in a codon-dependent manner, whereas the eIF-2 complex binds methionyl-tRNAi to 40S subunits in a GTP-dependent manner. . This is the function of Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000144895 (EIF2A, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A).