RNA binding protein, component of the U1 snRNP protein; mutants are defective in meiotic recombination and in formation of viable spores, involved in the formation of DSBs through meiosis-specific splicing of REC107 pre-mRNA; Nam8p regulon embraces the meiotic pre-mRNAs of REC107, HFM1, AMA1 SPO22 and PCH2; the putative RNA binding domains RRM2 and RRM3 are required for Nam8p meiotic function