EIF4A1
Description
The EIF4A1 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A1) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17.
EIF4A1 is a 46 kDa cytosolic protein encoded by the EIF4A1 gene located on chromosome 17. It is the most prevalent member of the eIF4A family of ATP-dependent RNA helicases and plays a critical role in the initiation of cap-dependent eukaryotic protein translation as a component of the eIF4F translation initiation complex. EIF4A1 unwinds the secondary structure of RNA within the 5'-UTR of mRNA, a critical step necessary for the recruitment of the 43S preinitiation complex and thus the translation of protein in eukaryotes. The regulation of protein translation is a crucial mechanism for cells to respond to their environment, as changes in gene transcription often take longer to enact. Initiation is the rate-limiting step of protein synthesis and is controlled by eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), which are regulated by various intracellular signaling pathways, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
EIF4A1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that plays a crucial role in the initiation of protein translation by unwinding secondary structures in the 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR) of mRNAs. This unwinding is essential for the efficient binding of the small ribosomal subunit and the subsequent scanning for the initiator codon.
EIF4A1 is also known as DDX2A, EIF-4A, EIF4A, eIF-4A-I, eIF4A-I.
