One of the primary rRNA binding proteins, it binds directly to 16S rRNA central domain where it helps coordinate assembly of the platform of the 30S subunit. Part of the 30S ribosomal subunit. Belongs to the universal ribosomal protein uS8 family. A stretch of the chloroplast genome is duplicated within chromosome 8 resulting in the duplication of the gene. The expression of this duplicated gene has not been demonstrated.