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Initiation factor
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Initiation factors are proteins that bind to the small

subunit of the ribosome during the initiation of
translation, a part of protein biosynthesis.[1]

Initiation factors can interact with repressors to slow

down or prevent translation. They have the ability to
interact with activators to help them start or increase
the rate of translation. In bacteria, they are simply
called IFs (i.e.., IF1, IF2, & IF3) and in eukaryotes they
are known as eIFs (i.e.., eIF1, eIF2, eIF3).[1] Translation
initiation is sometimes described as three step
process by which initiation factors help to carry out.
First, the tRNA carrying a methionine amino acid binds
to the small ribosome, then binds to the mRNA, and
finally joining together with the large ribosome. The
initiation factors that help with this process each have
different roles and structures.[2]

Types …

The initiation factors are divided into three major

groups by taxonomic domains. There are some
homologies shared (click the domain names to see the
domain-specific factors):[3]

Common
Bacterial Archaeal Eukaryotic
function[3]

diverse
IF-1 aIF1A eIF1A across
domains[3]

diverse
IF-2 aIF5B eIF5B across
domains[3]

mRNA
binding,
YciH? aIF1 eIF1 fidelity of
start
codon[3]

fidelity of
IF-3 — — start
codon[4]

an elongation
EF-P aIF5A eIF5A
factor[5]

binds
— aIF2 eIF2
tRNAiMet[3]

keeps two
ribosomal
subunits
— aIF6 eIF6 disassociated
by binding
large
subunit[6][3]

Structure and function

In cancer

References

External links

See also

Last edited 6 days ago by Citation bot

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