Eukaryotic Initiation Factor

Eukaryotic Initiation Factor

Eukaryotic initiation factors (eIF) are proteins involved in the initiation phase of eukaryotic translation. They function in forming a complex with the 40S ribosomal subunit and Met-tRNAi called the 43S preinitation complex (PIC), recognizing the 5' cap structure of mRNA and recruiting the 43S PIC to mRNA, promoting ribosomal scanning of mRNA and regulating recognition of the AUG initiation codon, and joining of the 60S ribosomal subunit to create the 80S ribosome. There exist many more eukaryotic initiation factors than prokaryotic initiation factors due to greater biological complexity of eukaryotic cells.

The protein RLI is known to have an essential, probably catalytic role in the formation of initiation complexes as well.

Read more about Eukaryotic Initiation Factor:  EIF4 (eIF4F), EIF1 & EIF3, EIF2, EIF5 & EIF5B, EIF6

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