Translation factors are proteins that associate with ribosomes, messenger RNA, or transfer RNA to coordinate stages of protein synthesis. Initiation factors assemble the components required to recognize a start codon and begin polypeptide synthesis [1]. Their contacts with ribosomal subunits and RNA organize successive initiation complexes and regulate transitions between these states [2]. In eukaryotes, initiation factors participate in recruitment to the messenger RNA and in scanning through its leader sequence; RNA structure and upstream open reading frames can alter this process [3][4]. The initiator transfer RNA is delivered with eIF2 and GTP. Start-codon recognition promotes factor rearrangement and GTP-related transitions, after which eIF5B supports joining of the large ribosomal subunit to produce an elongation-competent ribosome [5][6].
- initiation factors
- elongation factors
- release factors
- ribosome
References
- Nahum Sonenberg; Alan G. Hinnebusch; Regulation of Translation Initiation in Eukaryotes: Mechanisms and Biological Targets. Cell 2009, 136, 731-745, 10.1016/j.cell.2009.01.042.
- Richard J. Jackson; Christopher U. T. Hellen; Tatyana V. Pestova; The Mechanism of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation and Principles of Its Regulation. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 2010, 11, 113-127, 10.1038/nrm2838.
- Jailson Brito Querido; Irene Díaz-López; V. Ramakrishnan; The Molecular Basis of Translation Initiation and Its Regulation in Eukaryotes. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 2023, 25, 168-186, 10.1038/s41580-023-00624-9.
- Alan G. Hinnebusch; Ivaylo P. Ivanov; Nahum Sonenberg; Translational Control by 5′-untranslated Regions of Eukaryotic mRNAs. Science 2016, 352, 1413-1416, 10.1126/science.aad9868.
- Antonina Roll-Mecak; Chune Cao; Thomas E. Dever; Stephen K. Burley; X-Ray Structures of the Universal Translation Initiation Factor IF2/eIF5B. Cell 2000, 103, 781-792, 10.1016/s0092-8674(00)00181-1.
- Alan G. Hinnebusch; The Scanning Mechanism of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 2014, 83, 779-812, 10.1146/annurev-biochem-060713-035802.