YTHDF1, also designated Dermatomyositis associated with cancer putative autoantigen 1 (DACA-1), is a 559 amino acid protein that contains one YTH domain, which is a potential RNA binding domain. Specifically recognizes and binds N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-containing mRNAs, and promotes mRNA translation efficiency (PubMed:24284625, PubMed:26046440, PubMed:26318451). M6A is a modification present at internal sites of mRNAs and some non-coding RNAs and plays a role in the efficiency of mRNA splicing, processing and stability (PubMed:24284625). Acts as a regulator of mRNA translation efficiency: promotes ribosome loading to m6A-containing mRNAs and interacts with translation initiation factors eIF3 (EIF3A or EIF3B) to facilitate translation initiation (PubMed:26046440).