Multifunctional ATP-dependent RNA helicase (PubMed:27546789). Plays a role in RNA remodeling, but is not required for RNA unwinding (PubMed:27546789). Binds to RNA in a concentration-dependent manner to stimulate annealing between two complementary strands of RNA (PubMed:26015579, PubMed:27546789). This process is also dependent upon ATP; ATP reduces binding to RNA and subsequently diminishes RNA annealing (PubMed:27546789). Involved in many cellular processes, which do not necessarily require its ATPase/helicase catalytic activities. Involved in the regulation of transcription and translation initiation. Involved in innate immunity (By similarity). Involved in both stress and inflammatory responses (By similarity). Promotes liquid-liquid phase separation of P granules, which is a process important for intracellular organization and stress granule assembly (PubMed:26015579). Required for embryonic development (PubMed:19361491, PubMed:26015579). Plays a role in sexual cell fate determination by negatively regulating the translation of the sex determining protein tra-2 (PubMed:9043090, PubMed:9321409, PubMed:26015579). May play a protective role in the response to heat and oxidative stress (PubMed:24844228). May negatively regulate extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway via death domain receptors. May be involved in mitotic chromosome segregation (By similarity). ATP + H2O = ADP + H(+) + phosphate Binds RNA as a monomer at low laf-1 concentrations and as a dimer at high laf-1 concentrations. Localizes to P granules in germline precursor cells. Shuttles between the nucleus and the cytosol (By similarity). Expressed in the germline and soma of young adult hermaphrodites. Expressed at all developmental stages. Highly expressed in embryos with levels decreasing during larval development and increasing as animals reach adulthood. The N-terminal domain is required for the multimeric binding of laf-1 to RNA. Embryonic lethal or lethal at the first larval stage of development (PubMed:9043090). Embryos exhibit severe morphological defects (PubMed:9043090). RNAi-mediated knockdown results in embryonic lethality in 88% of animals (PubMed:19361491, PubMed:26015579). Knockdown also results in disrupted P granule organization and assembly in the early embryo (PubMed:26015579). Reduced survival in response to heat and oxidative stress (PubMed:24844228). Double RNAi knockdown with vbh-1 results in a high number of female offspring (PubMed:19361491). Belongs to the DEAD box helicase family. DDX3/DED1 subfamily.